BANGKOK, March 5. /TASS/. Indonesia plans to reach a deal with Russia on ten Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets in early April, the Jakarta Globe newspaper wrote on Saturday referring to the country’s Defense Minister Ryamiard Ryacudu.
"We need a squadron of the jets, but for the first phase it will be 10 jets," Ryamizard told reporters.
"Ryamizard plans to attend the 13th ASEAN-Russia senior officials meeting in Moscow on April 4th and 5th, and sought to sign the agreement in the sidelines of the meeting," the newspaper reported. "Indonesia has increased defense spending over the past three years in an attempt to regenerate its aging military arsenal."
Indonesia’s Armed Forces use Russian military equipment. The Air Force uses Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 fighters.
Sukhoi Su-35 fighters will replace the U.S. F-5 Tiger, which the Indonesian Armed Forces have been exploiting since 1980.