Russia delivers two Mi-35 assault choppers
Russia delivers two Mi-35 assault choppers
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Following the delivery of four Sukhoi jet fighters late last
month, two Mi-35 assault helicopters Indonesia purchased from
Russia along with the warplanes arrived in Jakarta on Monday.
The helicopters, which will join the Army's Flight Division in
Semarang, Central Java, were unloaded from Russian cargo planes
at Halim air base in East Jakarta.
"The new helicopters will enhance the defense capabilities of
our flight division. But they will undergo a series of tests
before being moved to Semarang," Army Flight Division Commander
Brig. Gen. Arifin said as quoted by Antara.
State Logistics Agency (Bulog) chief Widjanarko Puspoyo, a
representative of Rosoboron Export, Sergey Kuzmin, and a number
of military officers were at the air base to witness the
unloading of the helicopters.
The Sukhois were delivered to Iswahyudi air base in Madiun,
East Java, where they are being assembled.
The two assault helicopters were purchased along with the four
jet fighters in a countertrade agreement worth US$197 million.
The deal was signed during President Megawati Soekarnoputri's
visit to Moscow in April.
Since the deal was announced it has been surrounded in
controversy, with the House of Representatives questioning
whether it violated the law.
The House has questioned why Minister of Industry and Trade
Rini Suwandi signed the deal, while the defense ministry was not
involved in the process.
It also criticized the government for paying an advance of Rp
700 billion taken from Bulog's account in Bank Bukopin, rather
than from the state budget.
Despite the controversy, the government has said it plans to
buy more Sukhois to beef up the country's air defenses. The House
has asked the government to follow official procedures if it does
indeed make future purchases from Russia.
The new warplanes and helicopters are scheduled to take part
in an air show to mark the 58th anniversary of the Indonesia
Military here on Oct. 5.