The war planes were stationed at the Air Squadron 11 in the Hasanuddin airbase of Makassar.Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Air Force has a full squadron of Russian Shukoi jet fighters stationed at the Hasanuddin airbase in Makassar, South Sulawesi.
The squadron was complete after six new units of Shukoi SU- 30MK2 arrived to join the 10 units already here earlier.
"The war planes were stationed at the Air Squadron 11 in the Hasanuddin airbase of Makassar," Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, said in a ceremony marking the official transfer of the aircraft from JSC Rosoboronexport representing the Russian government to the defense ministry here on Wednesday.
Purnomo said the forming of the squadron is part of the program to develop the country`s air defense under strategic plan of 2010-2014.
All of the units of SU-30 MK 2 and SU-27 SKM series of Sukhoi jet fighters were ordered by the Indonesian government under a contract signed in July 2007.
They came by phases arriving at Iswahyudi airbase of Madiun in 2003, and at the Sultan Hasanuddin airbase in 2009, 2010 and 2013.
Deliveries of the six units of aircraft bought at a price of US$470 million was nine months earlier than the schedule set in the contract on June 28, 2014.
The six units were delivered with spare parts in four phases with the first phase in February, 2013 and the last on Sept 4, 2013.
The war planes are equipped with bombs and guided missiles, said air force chief of staff Air Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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