S'pore to give RI trainer planes

S'pore to give RI trainer planes

JAKARTA (AP): Singapore will deliver 19 training aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force under the terms of a deal concluded between the two countries, a military spokesman announced Friday.

Singapore agreed to donate the SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 Warrior trainers which are being phased out of operation in the city- state, Indonesian Air Force Vice Marshall Imam Wahyudi said.

He said it had not yet been decided when the Italian-made, propeller-driven planes would be transferred.

Officials from Singapore's Ministry of Defense on Friday declined to comment.

The SF.260 are likely to supplement 22 Beechcraft T-34C Turbomentors which the Indonesian Air Force has been using as its basic trainer since the 1970s. Most of the U.S.-made planes are reported to be unserviceable due to a lack of spare parts.

Washington embargoed weapons sales to Jakarta after army- inspired violence in 1999 in East Timor, a formerly Indonesian- ruled territory that voted for independence.

Although the administration of President George W. Bush has indicated that it would like to improve military ties with Indonesia, the U.S. Congress has insisted on retaining the ban.

The Indonesian Air Force has traditionally relied heavily on the United States for its equipment needs. It has been hit particularly hard by the ban, which has grounded many of its combat and transport aircraft.

Air force commanders have indicated they want to diversify their suppliers in order to sidestep the U.S. embargo. Last week, they said they were considering buying a squadron of Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 jet fighters.

But the cash-strapped government is unlikely to be able to afford significant arms purchases anytime soon.

Approximately 1,000 SF.260 trainers are in service with 27 air forces around the world. The high-performance aircraft also has a secondary light attack capability, with wing pods that can be equipped to carry rockets or machine guns.

Several airlines also use the civilian version of the type for pilot training.