Two out of the six Sukhoi Su-30 MK2 jet fighters ordered by the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) arrived at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base in Makassar late on Friday evening.A spokesman from the base, Maj. Muliadi, said on Saturday the two jet fighters were part of an order of six Su-30 MK2s arriving in batches.
“The remaining four jet fighters will arrive in June and July,” he said. The Russian-made jet fighters arrived onboard An-12-100 Ruslan strategic transport aircraft in disassembled condition and without engines. The engines are scheduled to arrive on Feb. 27 for the entire six jet fighters, totaling 12 engines. In addition to the two jet fighters made by Komsomolsk-na Amure Aircraft Production Association (KNAPO), 17 technicians from the aircraft manufacturers will assemble the jet fighters.
Muliadi said the assembly process would take two weeks to complete, including test flights.The Su-30 MK2 is a twin-engine, dual-seater jet fighter with a range of some 3,000 kilometers and is able to carry a payload of some eight tons. As with previous shipments, the jet fighters do not come with weapons, other than internal cannons. “The weapons will be purchased separately after the jet fighters are assembled, just like other batches,” Muliadi said.
Defense analysts have criticized the separate acquisition of the jet fighters, which do not include weapons such as bombs and missiles.The government, however, said budget constraints had limited its ability to buy a complete package.With the two jet fighters, now Indonesia has six single-seater Su-27 SKMs and six Su-30 MK2s.The Su-27/30 jet fighters are known as “Flankers”.
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