SINGAPORE. Feb 12 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia will definitely make a Sukhoi Su-30MKM multirole fighter bid if Malaysia holds a military aircraft tender, Irkut Corporation President Oleg Demchenko said.
"The tender has yet to be announced, so it is too early to speak about Malaysia's possible acquisition of an additional batch of our aircraft. We will participate in the tender if it is held. Our decision is definite. Certainly, we will make a Su-30MKM bid," he told reporters at the Singapore Airshow 2014.
Malaysia does not deny its wish to buy more of Russian fighter jets. "They really want another squadron of our aircraft. This is written in the option [agreement]. The Malaysian defense minister and prime minister have made statements to this effect," Demchenko said.
Earlier reports said the Irkut Corporation delivered 18 Su-30MKM fighters to Malaysia under a contract signed in 2003. That was the second aircraft contract between Russia and Malaysia. The first one was signed in 1994 on the delivery of Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters.