Indian Government News, The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will on Thursday take delivery of two Sukhoi Su-30MKM multi-role fighter aircraft after a four-year wait.
Chief of Air Force Jen Azizan Ariffin and Defence Ministry Secretary-General Ahmad Latffi Hashim will receive the aircraft on behalf of the Malaysian government at the Irkut Aircraft Corporation manufacturing plant.
Malaysia and the Russian government agency, Rosoboronexport, signed a USD 900 million contract for 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM (Modernizirovannyi Kommercheskiy Malaysia or Modernised Commercial Malaysia) aircraft.
In return for the purchase, Russia agreed to train and send a Malaysian astronaut to the International Space Station (ISS).
The 16 other Su-30MKM aircraft will be delivered to Malaysia in stages up to the middle of 2008.
Other than Malaysia, the Indonesian Air Force has two Su-27 and eight Su-30MK2 aircraft while Vietnam has four Su-30 and 12 Su-27 aircraft.
Defence analysts believe that the Su-30MKM and a similar version, the Su-30 MKI, used by the Indian Air Force are the most modern Su-30 aircraft in the market.
Although the Su-30 aircraft of the RMAF and the Indian Air Force are the same, the electronic equipment and avionics used by the aircraft are different, for political reasons.
US bomber joins air drill with South Korea, Japan
South Korea, Japan, and the United States on Sunday conducted a joint air drill involving a heavy bomber, Seoul's military...
