Indonesia waits for Russian helicopters

The Indonesian military sailors are impatiently waiting for Russian Mi helicopters, the newspaper Media Indonesia reports on Wednesday.

The agreement on buying sixteen helicopters was signed in April 2003 during the visit to Russia by Indonesian President Mrs. Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Two Mi-35 helicopters were brought to Jakarta by an An-124 Ruslan gigantic plane in September 2003. In a month, they took part in the parade on the occasion of the 58th Anniversary of the Indonesian army.

The deliveries of other helicopters were delayed because of the payment problems.

"However, today all the problems have been solved," Chief of the Navy headquarters Admiral Bernard Kent Sandakh told the newspaper. "Two helicopters have already arrived, and the others will be delivered stage by stage." The Indonesian marines will receive ten, out of the sixteen, helicopters.

"All these helicopters are new," underscored the admiral.