Indonesia Considers Purchasing Russia's Su-30MK Fighters

Indonesia considers purchasing ten multi-purpose Su-30MK fighters from Russia. Yury Chervakov, PR Director at Sukhoi military industrial group, has said this to RIA Novosti.

Indonesia showed a keen interest in Sukhoi-made fighters in the mid-1990s, said Mr Chervakov. The two countries started negotiating the purchase of 10 Su-30MK fighters by Indonesia. However, the 1998 financial crisis thwarted the deal.

Now Indonesia wants to resume talks. Testifying to this is Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri's planned visit to Sukhoi's test base in Zhukovsky, near Moscow. The president will be shown Su-30MK and Su-27SK fighters.

Both planes are designed to hit targets at sea, in the air and on land day-or-night and in any weather conditions. The fighters carry out a wide range of missions and have a long flight range. The latter is essential for Indonesia, the country that has distant frontiers, major water areas and sprawls along numerous islands.

President Soekarnoputri will be shown two aircraft on land and one of them in flight.