Indonesia to Buy 10 Russian Su-35 Jets Instead of F-16s, Eurofighters

Indonesia considers buying 10 supermaneuverable Su-35 fighter jets, preferring them to US and German aircraft.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Indonesia's Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu confirmed that the Indonesian government intends to buy 10 Russian Su-35 (NATO reporting name Flanker-E) multirole fighters, Indonesian media reported Wednesday.

"The purchase of the fighters must be done smartly, starting with a few, as purchasing everything at once means it will be delivered five or ten years down the line anyway," Ryacudu said, as quoted by the Kompas daily newspaper.

In late January, the defense minister announced plans to visit Russia in April in order to continue discussions on the procurement of the fighters. Ryacudu first announced Jakarta’s intention to purchase the aircraft to replace the country's aging fleet of US-made Northrop F-5 Tiger II fighters in September, 2015.

The minister may now visit Moscow to discuss the purchase as early as late February or March, according to the report. Indonesia is set to purchase the aircraft in a bundle with armaments and avionics systems, the newspaper said, adding that the Su-35 was chosen over its competitors, such as the US-made F-16V and the the German-made Eurofighter Typhoon.

In October 2015, the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade reported that Western companies had intensified their efforts to persuade Indonesia to purchase their aircraft following Ryacudu's September announcement.

The supermaneuverable Su-35 fighter was developed by Russia's Sukhoi Company aircraft manufacturer between 2003-2008. It was first introduced to a foreign audience at the 2013 Paris Air Show as a "4++ generation" heavily-upgraded derivative of the Su-27 multirole fighter.