By Franz-Stefan Gady
A deal will be signed by Indonesia’s defense minister during his visit to Moscow in March.
Indonesia has agreed to purchase 10 Russian Sukhoi Su-35S multirole fighter jets, according to Indonesian media reports. Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, General Ryamizard Ryacudu, will visit Moscow in March to sign the final agreement.
Already in September 2015, Gen. Ryamizard announced that a decision to purchase Russian jets had been made. “A decision was made to decommission U.S. F-5 Tiger fighter jets and purchase Russian aircraft instead of them,” Indonesia news agency ANTARA quoted the defense minister as saying. “The purchase will be made gradually, depending on the financial possibilities of the country’s government,” he added.
In January 2016, Indonesia’s ambassador to Russia, Djauhari Oratmangun, still only told Russian media that “negotiations are ongoing. The Minister of Defense wants to visit Russia in April to continue the discussions.” Yet, the date appears now to have been pushed forward and negotiations concluded.
Originally, Indonesia was looking to purchase 16 Su-35S. The Ministry of Defense has “agreed to buy a squadron of Su-35s,” Ryamizard said in September 2015. However, he clarified this week: “We will buy only ten.” The defense minister also said that the deal will include pilot training and knowledge transfers through a military exchange program.
Read the full story at The Diplomat