Russia eyes RI, RP as MIG-29 buyers
JAKARTA (JP): The Russian Military-Industrial Group (Mig Mapo), buoyed by its successes in Malaysia and India, is eying Indonesia and the Philippines as potential buyers of its MIG-29 fighters.
"We are testing the waters here," Yuri Yu Drozdov, Mapo's deputy general manager, said yesterday.
Mapo did not bring in its own MIG-29 fighter for display in the Indonesian Air Show, but is already represented by those bought by the Malaysian Air Force.
The Russian MIG-29 and Sukhoi Su series, F-16 Fighting Falcon of Lockheed Martin, the French Mirage 2000-5 are among the fighter planes promoted in the air show.
Drozdov said that the MIG-29, unlike the single-engine F-16 and Mirage fighters, which are powered by one engine, has two engines.
"The one-engine configuration decreases flight safety and survivability and, in the end, decreases the potential combat capability," he said.
In Asia, he said, 18 MIG-29s are being used by the Malaysian Air Force and another ten by the Indian Air Force.
"We are negotiating with the Philippines and hopefully we will conclude a firm deal," he said.
He classifies fighter planes into two classes: heavy and light fighters.
Light fighters such as MIG-29, F-16, F-18 and the Mirage have a shorter flight range, lower combat load and less powerful airborne radars.
In close air combat they are therefore superior to heavy fighters such as the Su-27 or the F-15, due to their high maneuverability and acceleration.
"Obviously, our fighter planes are much cheaper than their American competitors," Drozdov added.
Dassault of France is also active in the show, promoting its Mirage family of fighters and Falcon executive jets. Dassault, together with CFM International (a joint venture between Snecma and General Electric Aircraft Engines of the United States), Aerospatiale and Snecma have a big presence in the show.
Dassault's Director of Sales Michael J. Flies yesterday briefed reporters on the range of military aircraft and executive jets of the Falcon family.
Flies explained the extensive multi-mission capability of the Mirage 2000 series fighters, especially its latest version, the Mirage 2000-5, and the Rafale.
He said some 550 different Mirage 2000s had been procured by eight air forces.
Outstanding among the Falcon executive jet family is the Falcon 900EX, a 8,400-km range, enhanced-performance business jet with a top cruise speed of Mach 0.84, which can fly non-stop from Tokyo to San Francisco or from Hong Kong to Sydney with eight passengers and a crew of three. (13/vin)