Two more Sukhoi to touch down today

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Two more Sukhoi SU-30 jets from Russia are expected to arrive at the Iswahyudi air base in Madiun, East Java, on Monday after a day's delay due to technical problems.

"We are in the process of assembling the SU-27 jet fighters which arrived earlier. The assembly is being done by Russian technicians," Indonesian Air Force spokesman Brig. Gen. Sagom Tamboen said here on Sunday.

The Russian technicians are working hard to complete the assembling on schedule, he said.

He said Russian state company Rosoboroniexport was responsible for the assembly of the jets' and their maintenance until their test flights.

The Russian-made fighters were transported to Indonesia only partly assembled.

Six Indonesian pilots who trained for two months in Russia to fly the Sukhois are expected to return home in the first week of September, Sagom said.

He said the other two Sukhoi jets would also be delivered only partly assembled aboard a an Antonov cargo plane and assembled at the air base following their arrival.

The air base is also home to the Air Force's U.S.-made Falcon F-16s.

Besides the four Sukhois, two of which were delivered on Wednesday, Indonesia is still awaiting the arrival of two MI-35 assault helicopters. Indonesia purchased the Russian warplanes and helicopters through a US$192.6 million countertrade deal that is being looked into by the House of Representatives for possible procedural violations.

Under the deal, Russia will receive 30 different commodities from Indonesia in return for the military equipment.

The House is scheduled to question Minister of Industry and Trade Rini S. Soewandi and National Logistics Agency chief Puspoyo Widjanarko over the alleged irregularities.

Despite the controversy surrounding the purchase, the Indonesian Military has expressed its eagerness to acquire at least a squadron of the Russian jets.

A squadron consist of 12 to 16 planes.

The Sukhois are expected to strengthen the country's air defenses, which has to this point consisted of OV-10 Broncos, F- 15 Tigers, F-16s and British-made Hawk-100s and 200s.

The purchase of the Sukhoi jets was meant to reduce Indonesia's dependence on the United States and its allies for military equipment. The U.S. imposed a military embargo on Indonesia following the violence in East Timor in 1999.

Antara news agency reported on Sunday that the four Sukhois would take part in the celebrations for the Indonesian Military's 58th anniversary on Oct. 5.