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.