The bidding process for the planes` purchase had been done since 2010 but a contract on the procurement of the aircraft had not yet been signed.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government plans to buy a squadron of T-50 Golden Eagle trainer jets from South Korea to replace outdated British-made Hawk MK-53s currently still being used by the Indonesian Air Force.

The number of trainer jets to be procured from South Korea will be a squadron in accordance with the available budget, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro told the press at the Vice-President`s Palace here on Wednesday.

Purnomo announced the plan to purchase the new military hardware after attending a meeting on Indonesia`s chairmanship of ASEAN presided over by Vice-President Boediono.

The meeting was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, Coordinating Ministers for People?s Welfare Agung Laksono and Foreign Minister s Marty Natalegawa, Finance Minister Agus Martowardoyo, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Communication and Informatics Minister Tifatul Sembiring and Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik.

The bidding process for the planes` purchase had been done since 2010 but a contract on the procurement of the aircraft had not yet been signed. He however made it clear the choice of the type of aircraft to be acquired was already final, namely the Korean-made trainer jets.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) President Kim Hong Kyun earlier announced that the Indonesian Defense Minister had finalized the procurement status for the aircraft but negotiations on the price and other details had not yet been finalized.

The T-50 trainer jet is a type of military aircraft that can be used as light attack aircraft. South Korea was planning to develop the T-50 into an aircraft capable of executing combat missions.

The South Korean Air Force had been operating CN-235 turboprop transport aircraft since mid 1990?s and in 2008 purchased four more such aircraft at the price of 90 million US dollars.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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