Russia Postpones Delivery of Su-30MKM Jets to Malaysia
Created: 14.12.2006 13:39 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 13:39 MSK, 20 hours 35 minutes ago
MosNews
Russia will postpone delivery of Su-30MKM fighter jets to Malaysia until 2007, the management of Irkutsk aircraft manufacturing plant said on Thursday, Dec. 14. Irkutsk aircraft manufacturing plant belongs to the Irkut research and scientific association, which produces Su jets.
?The first aircraft have already been produced and tested. However, it has been decided that their delivery to the customer will be postponed,? the management told Itar-Tass agency.
The $900 million contract between the two countries for the production of 18 Su-30MKM aircraft was signed in the summer of 2003. Russian jets are set to replace seven of Malaysia?s 14 U.S.-made F-5E fighters. Back in 2005 Malaysian officials have said: ?They [the U.S. fighter jets] are more than 20 years old. We had two choices ? to modernize them or to replace them. We chose to make a replacement with the Russian technology.?