MOSCOW. Jan 27 (Interfax-AVN) - The Rosoboronexport state- owned arms trader has signed a contract for shipping a large batch of SU-30MKK multifunctional fighters to China. The deal is valued at roughly USD1bn.
"The contract was signed last Monday. All in all, 24 SU- 30MKK multifunctional fighters manufactured at the Gagarin aviation plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur will be supplied to China. The total value of the contract is approximately USD1bn," a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The fighters will be modified to strike sea-based targets. This is the fourth contract for SU-30 jets with China. The previous contracts were signed in 1999, 2001 and 2002.
Under the 2002 contract, Russia is to supply 28 fighters to China. 19 aircraft have been delivered to the customer.
The Sukhoi military aircraft corporation is appointed head executor of last week's contact.
Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi declined to comment on the deal.