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Malaysia To Receive Russian Jets in May
Agence France-Presse | Feb 16, 2007
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Malaysia will take delivery of the first batch of Russian-built Sukhoi jets in May after a yearlong delay partly due to the replacement of components made by Israel, a report said Thursday.
The New Straits Times, quoting unnamed defense industry sources, said six of the 18 30-MKM Sukhois ordered in a billion-dollar deal would be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Air Force in May.
“Part of the delay is attributed to the fitting of non-Israeli components,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying.
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and is a longtime critic of the Jewish state’s policies in the Middle East.
“Russian and French-made avionics replaced the Indian-Israeli-French combination, while the Israeli electronic countermeasure system was changed to a South African variant,” the source said.
Delivery of the jets is part of a deal conceived in 2003, when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian astronaut to the space station in return for the purchase of 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets.
The Sukhois eventually will replace the RMAF’s 14 20-year-old U.S.-made F-5E jets and complement its 18 MiG-29N Fulcrums, the newspaper said.
Indian firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is assembling 140 Su-30MKI jets for the Indian Air Force, will provide the RMAF with technical support for equipment such as auxiliary power units, as well as spares, it said.
Defencetalk
Agence France-Presse | Feb 16, 2007
Digg this Story | Send Article | Printer Friendly | Discuss
Malaysia will take delivery of the first batch of Russian-built Sukhoi jets in May after a yearlong delay partly due to the replacement of components made by Israel, a report said Thursday.
The New Straits Times, quoting unnamed defense industry sources, said six of the 18 30-MKM Sukhois ordered in a billion-dollar deal would be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Air Force in May.
“Part of the delay is attributed to the fitting of non-Israeli components,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying.
Malaysia does not have diplomatic ties with Israel and is a longtime critic of the Jewish state’s policies in the Middle East.
“Russian and French-made avionics replaced the Indian-Israeli-French combination, while the Israeli electronic countermeasure system was changed to a South African variant,” the source said.
Delivery of the jets is part of a deal conceived in 2003, when Russia agreed to send a Malaysian astronaut to the space station in return for the purchase of 18 Sukhoi 30-MKM fighter jets.
The Sukhois eventually will replace the RMAF’s 14 20-year-old U.S.-made F-5E jets and complement its 18 MiG-29N Fulcrums, the newspaper said.
Indian firm Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is assembling 140 Su-30MKI jets for the Indian Air Force, will provide the RMAF with technical support for equipment such as auxiliary power units, as well as spares, it said.
Defencetalk
