Indonesia, Russia Yet to Agree on Sukhoi Su-35 Price

Su-35 multi-role fighters.

 
Jakarta, 10 Rabi’ul Awwal 1438/10 December 2016 (MINA) – Indonesias Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu said he was yet to reach an agreement about the Sukhoi Su-35s price offered by Russia.

“Just wait, I still have to bargain,” Antara News quoted the minister as stating here on Friday.

Indonesia plans to buy eight Su-35 war aircraft from Russia to replace the Indonesian Air Forces F-5E/F Tiger II.

Minister Ryacudu noted that Indonesia was still interested to purchase the jet fighters from Russia, but apart from the negotiations over price, they also want technology transfer and joint production.

However, regardless of Indonesias serious interest in the deal, the Kremlin may not grant the two conditions easily as eight aircrafts form a relatively small number.

“For the moment, (we plan to buy) just eight, and the negotiations were underway,” Minister Ryacudu affirmed.

While refusing to put a figure that the government has put forth as the price, Minister Ryacudu hoped Indonesia should get a good deal as it had purchased myriad military weapons from Russia in the past, too.

The Su-35 is an evolution of the Su-27 Flanker, a late Cold War design intended to match the F-15 in concept: a heavy twin-engine multirole fighter combining excellent speed and weapons loadout with dogfighting agility.

A video of a Su-35 at the 2013 Paris Air Show demonstrates its remarkable maneuverability. Such maneuvers may be useful for evading missiles or dogfighting at close ranges—though they leave any aircraft in a low-energy state.

The Flanker-E can achieve a maximum speed of Mach 2.25 at high altitude (equal to the F-22 and faster than the F-35 or F-16) and has excellent acceleration. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)