"The purchase of six Sukhoi jet fighters is still in the stage of negotiation," Eris said after dedicating Scout Crisis Center at the National Quarter.
He said the purchase of six Sukhoi Su-30MK2 jet fighters from Rusia was a strategic plan of Defense Ministry to meet its need of 16 jet fighters.
At present the Indonesian Air Force has just had 10 jet fighters consisting of two versions namely Shukoi Su-30MK2 and Su-27SKM.
According to Eris, the purchase of additional Sukhoi jet fighters was to strengthen the Air Force defense in maintaining Indonesian air space.
Learning from present experience, Eris said the number of jet fighters was still far from sufficient to protect the country`s air from the infiltration by foreign planes.
But Eris admitted that he was still unable to mention the nominal price of the six Su-30MK2 Sukhoi planes.
"The payment system for the Sukhois to the Russian government will be made through foreign soft loan. But because the purchase is still in the stage of negotiation, we have yet to decide when the the jet fighters will arrive in Indonesia," Eris said.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
