Sukhoi Su-35 for Indonesia "full gear"

Indonesia's Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said that the 11 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker E jet fighters, which were ordered from Russia, would be well-equipped with weapons, or in other words is full gear.

"They will be well-equipped with weapons because we have additional weapons on discount," Ryacudu, stated at the Presidential Palace on Thursday.

The signing of the purchase would be conducted in November, he added. "It will be ready in November. The total value (of the purchase) is Rp16 trillion."

Previously, a Russian state-owned firm Rostec had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesias state-owned firm PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia on the barter trade of 11 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker E with some commodities.

Such a purchasing scheme is in accordance with the Law No 16/2012 on Defense Industry.

Indonesia would buy Sukhoi from Russia, while in return, Russia would buy some commodities from Indonesia.

Under the agreement, Indonesia will pay 50 percent of the acquisition cost (US$570 million), from a total $1.14 billion of procurement, by exporting a variety of products to Russia. Another 35 percent will be offset.

Rostec has agreed to buy from PPI, a combination of processed rubber and its derivatives, palm oil and its derivatives, machinery, coffee and its derivatives, cocoa and its derivatives, textiles, tea, footwear, processed fish, furniture, copra, plastics and its derivatives, resins, paper, spices, defense industry products, and other products.

Ryamizard remarked that the purchasing of South Korean submarine still has a problem regarding the transfer of technology.

"We have processed (the purchase) of the South Korean submarine, but it has been running slowly. This is the first submarine, while the second and third submarines would be assembled in PT PAL," he elaborated.

The government is yet to purchase more submarines. "We will see. If this is good, we will add more (submarines), he stated

Source: ANTARA