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Malaysia interested in Russian warplanes

Russia and Malaysia will continue cooperation in aviation, Malaysian Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

IRKUTSK, November 16 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia and Malaysia will continue cooperation in aviation, Malaysian Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is currently on a visit in Irkutsk, said here on Wednesday. He visited the aviation plant, a subsidiary of the Irkut Corporation, where he studied the production of airplanes Su-30MK and Yak-130, the components parts for the Airbus concern under the international industrial cooperation program.

“The goal of my visit in Irkutsk to see for myself where a multipurpose fighter Su-30MK is being produced for the Malaysian Royal Air Force. We are also discussing a probable development of future programs and the Malaysian companies are always ready to cooperate in this sphere,” the minister noted.

The Irkut Corporation delivered 18 fighters Su-30MK to the Malaysian Air Force from 2007 to 2009. The countries are negotiating the details of another contract for the production of a multifunctional fighter. The countries also discussed the cooperation on the MS-21 project (a modern civil medium-haul airliner), which the Irkutsk aviation plant is preparing to produce. Russian will deliver first foresaid airplanes in 2017. The Malaysian defence minister said he is interested in a training combat fighter Yak-130 and did not rule out a probable cooperation in this sphere.