ID :
23899
Sat, 10/11/2008 - 10:52
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https://oananews.org//node/23899
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News Focus: HOUSE URGED TO APPROVE PURCHASE OF ANOTHER THREE SUKHOI JETFIGHTERS
by Eliswan Azly
Jakarta, Oct 10 (ANTARA) - The House of Representatives has been urged to give greater attention to the need of the Indonesian Air Force for another three Russian Sukhoi jetfighters.
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono has recently called on the House's Commission I and Budgetary Commission to immediately approve the government's purchase of another three Russian-made Shukoi jet fighters for the Air Force.
"We have asked the House to erase the star mark for the purchase of three Sukhois, so that the US$360 million could be disbursed for the purchase," the minister said this midweek.
"Hence there is no reason for the House's Commission I and Budgetary Commission to postpone their approval. If possible, the approval could be given before October 14, 2008," he said.
According to Yuwono, the three additional Sukhois are urgently needed to improve the airforce's deterrent. The arrival of the three Sukhois from Rusia is still awaiting the House approval on the issuance of a Letter of Credit (L/C).
The loan agreement for the purchase of the Sukhois has already been signed by the Finance Minister and the management of the French Natixis Bank at the Economic Affairs Coordinating Ministry.
The Russian jet fighters manufacturing company, Sukhoi, on August 21, 2007 announced the sale of its six jet fighters to Indonesia at a cost of US$300 million (Rp2.85 trillion).
The six Sukhois consisted of three SU-30 MK2 and three SU-27 SKM jet fighters which would bolster the four Sukhois already possessed by the Airforce since September 2003.
Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Sobandrio meanwhile said his side hopefully could put the new Sukhois into service before October 14, which would be Indonesian Defense Forces Day. "We hope we can fly them on that day."
Likely, the airforce will only be able to operate the existing four Sukhoi jetfighter but not as a squadron, as the approval from the House is still a dream.
The loan agreement has to be approved by the DPR before it could be submitted to Bank Indonesia (BI) which will issue the necessary L/C (Letter of Credit).
"Now we are still awaiting the approval of the DPR, because the L/C can be issued only after the House has approved the loan agreement. It takes time, but this is the procedure and mechanism which we have to follow. We just have to wait," the defense ministry's director general for defense facilities, Rear Marshal Eris Herriyanto, said.
The purchase of the Sukhois has been planned on the basis of the Air Force's 2005-2009 Fleet Development Program.
In the 2005 budget year, funds totaling US$310 million had been allocated for the procurement of six Sukhois. The procurement of the six warplanes will be carried out n stages in the 2007-2009 period.
The Russian Sukhoi producing company on August 21, 2007, announced the sale of six jet fighters to Indonesia at a cost of worth US$300 million.
However, the sales value in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the procurement signed during the Moscow aerospace exhibition on August 21, 2007, was set US$355 million.
Now that the six Sukhois are expected to be delivered in stages in 2008 and 2009, the defense ministry and the National Defense Forces (TNI), which will be using the jet fighters, are expecting a green light from the DPR soon.
"We hope it would be issued soon so that the three Sukhois can support Indonesia's national air defense operations," Herriyanto said.
Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Subandrio also confirmed that the House pproval was needed before the Sukhois could be paid for and sent to Indonesia.
The House needs to give its approval so that the delivery schedules could be met. Three fighters, with an SU-30MK armament system, are slated to arrive in Indonesia in 2008, hopefully before October 5. Three others, also with SU-27SK armament system, will arrive in 2009.
In the meantime, the House of Representatives said it had no intention to delay the deliberations on the purchase of the warplanes.
"We will give priorities to the deliberations of the jet-fighter purchase plan," Djoko Susilo of the House's Commission I which deals with defense affairs said on Sunday.
He said that Commission I already had a lot of agendas, such as the agenda to deliberate the ASEAN charter, before it received the proposal for the approval of the warplane purchase.
Commission I has to re-arrange its agenda if it received new items for immediate deliberations. "If we directly discuss newly received letters it would raise public suspicion," he added.
He said that Commission I would first hold a meeting with the ministry of defense to hear its program. "It should explain to the House its Sukhoi purchase plan program."
Djoko hoped the House Commission I would have started deliberating the Sukhoi purchase plan in the next few weeks.
On whether or not the jet-fighters could arrive before the Indonesian Defense Forces celebrate its birthday on October 14, the legislator looked doubtful. "It could be but it would not depend on the DPR only," he said.
Currently the air force already has four Sukhois consisting of two SU-27s and two MK-30s. Called Flanker, the jet-fighter is of the Sukhoi Su-27 SK Upgrade type equipped with a couple of Lyulka AL-31F engines with booster strength of 12,550 kg each.
Jakarta, Oct 10 (ANTARA) - The House of Representatives has been urged to give greater attention to the need of the Indonesian Air Force for another three Russian Sukhoi jetfighters.
Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono has recently called on the House's Commission I and Budgetary Commission to immediately approve the government's purchase of another three Russian-made Shukoi jet fighters for the Air Force.
"We have asked the House to erase the star mark for the purchase of three Sukhois, so that the US$360 million could be disbursed for the purchase," the minister said this midweek.
"Hence there is no reason for the House's Commission I and Budgetary Commission to postpone their approval. If possible, the approval could be given before October 14, 2008," he said.
According to Yuwono, the three additional Sukhois are urgently needed to improve the airforce's deterrent. The arrival of the three Sukhois from Rusia is still awaiting the House approval on the issuance of a Letter of Credit (L/C).
The loan agreement for the purchase of the Sukhois has already been signed by the Finance Minister and the management of the French Natixis Bank at the Economic Affairs Coordinating Ministry.
The Russian jet fighters manufacturing company, Sukhoi, on August 21, 2007 announced the sale of its six jet fighters to Indonesia at a cost of US$300 million (Rp2.85 trillion).
The six Sukhois consisted of three SU-30 MK2 and three SU-27 SKM jet fighters which would bolster the four Sukhois already possessed by the Airforce since September 2003.
Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Sobandrio meanwhile said his side hopefully could put the new Sukhois into service before October 14, which would be Indonesian Defense Forces Day. "We hope we can fly them on that day."
Likely, the airforce will only be able to operate the existing four Sukhoi jetfighter but not as a squadron, as the approval from the House is still a dream.
The loan agreement has to be approved by the DPR before it could be submitted to Bank Indonesia (BI) which will issue the necessary L/C (Letter of Credit).
"Now we are still awaiting the approval of the DPR, because the L/C can be issued only after the House has approved the loan agreement. It takes time, but this is the procedure and mechanism which we have to follow. We just have to wait," the defense ministry's director general for defense facilities, Rear Marshal Eris Herriyanto, said.
The purchase of the Sukhois has been planned on the basis of the Air Force's 2005-2009 Fleet Development Program.
In the 2005 budget year, funds totaling US$310 million had been allocated for the procurement of six Sukhois. The procurement of the six warplanes will be carried out n stages in the 2007-2009 period.
The Russian Sukhoi producing company on August 21, 2007, announced the sale of six jet fighters to Indonesia at a cost of worth US$300 million.
However, the sales value in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the procurement signed during the Moscow aerospace exhibition on August 21, 2007, was set US$355 million.
Now that the six Sukhois are expected to be delivered in stages in 2008 and 2009, the defense ministry and the National Defense Forces (TNI), which will be using the jet fighters, are expecting a green light from the DPR soon.
"We hope it would be issued soon so that the three Sukhois can support Indonesia's national air defense operations," Herriyanto said.
Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Subandrio also confirmed that the House pproval was needed before the Sukhois could be paid for and sent to Indonesia.
The House needs to give its approval so that the delivery schedules could be met. Three fighters, with an SU-30MK armament system, are slated to arrive in Indonesia in 2008, hopefully before October 5. Three others, also with SU-27SK armament system, will arrive in 2009.
In the meantime, the House of Representatives said it had no intention to delay the deliberations on the purchase of the warplanes.
"We will give priorities to the deliberations of the jet-fighter purchase plan," Djoko Susilo of the House's Commission I which deals with defense affairs said on Sunday.
He said that Commission I already had a lot of agendas, such as the agenda to deliberate the ASEAN charter, before it received the proposal for the approval of the warplane purchase.
Commission I has to re-arrange its agenda if it received new items for immediate deliberations. "If we directly discuss newly received letters it would raise public suspicion," he added.
He said that Commission I would first hold a meeting with the ministry of defense to hear its program. "It should explain to the House its Sukhoi purchase plan program."
Djoko hoped the House Commission I would have started deliberating the Sukhoi purchase plan in the next few weeks.
On whether or not the jet-fighters could arrive before the Indonesian Defense Forces celebrate its birthday on October 14, the legislator looked doubtful. "It could be but it would not depend on the DPR only," he said.
Currently the air force already has four Sukhois consisting of two SU-27s and two MK-30s. Called Flanker, the jet-fighter is of the Sukhoi Su-27 SK Upgrade type equipped with a couple of Lyulka AL-31F engines with booster strength of 12,550 kg each.
