MOSCOW/JAKARTA. Aug 27 (Interfax-AVN) - The first two SU- 30KI Flanker fighters have been delivered to Indonesia in accordance with a relevant contract, a competent source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency Wednesday.
"The fighters were delivered by an AN-124 Condor to an Indonesian Air Force base. The other two Russian-made fighters will also be delivered there soon," he said.
In April 2003, Russia and Indonesia signed a contract for the supply of four SU-30KI fighters and two MI-35 Hind helicopters.
The contract was signed due to agreements reached during Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri's visit to Moscow.
Russian experts estimate the contract at about USD130m. The aircraft will be paid for in cash (20 percent) and in Indonesian goods, including palm oil.
All the aircraft of the batch will have been delivered to Indonesia by October.
The SU-30KI is a derivative of the SU-27SK operational with the Russian Air Force, demonstrated to the Indonesian president in Zhukovsky, Moscow region, on April 22. Sukarnoputri appreciated the performance of the jet.
The SU-30KI differs from the basic SU-27SK by having an air refueling system.
At the same time, Associated Press reported from Jakarta that the Russian fighters were delivered to the Iswahyudi Air Base in East Java. They are soon expected to move to South Sulawesi province. Associated Press estimates the contract at USD192.6m.
Currently the bulk of the Indonesian Air Force are the U.S.- made F-16s and F-5 Tiger II, as well as British-made Skyhawks, Associated Press said. The agency added that Indonesia had to resume military-technical cooperation with Russia in a bid to diversify its arms sources after the U.S. arms sales embargo imposed 12 years ago.