Vietnam buying Su-30MK

Vietnam to Buy Su-30

The Ministry of Defense of Vietnam has agreed with Rosoboronexport on the purchase of four Su-30MK fighters for a total of not less than 110 million dollars. Vietnam may buy another eight airplanes of this type, bringing its fleet of heavy Su fighters to 24 aircraft. In all this year, Vietnam has purchased Russian armament totaling almost half a billion dollars – this is a record for the two countries since the time of the break-up of the USSR.

As an informed source in the Sukhoy Aviation Holding Company reported to Vedomosti, yesterday representatives of Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense and Rosoboronehksport agreed to the parameters of a contract for the delivery to this country of the four Su-30MK fighters. The contract itself may be concluded as early as before year’s end, and the airplanes delivered next year. The cost of the four aircraft will be not less than 110 million dollars, and at the same time on the order of 70 percent will be paid in cash and the rest in trade goods. A source close to the negotiations confirmed to Vedomosti that such an agreement has been reached, although they have refused to comment at Rosoboronehksport itself.

The Komsomol’sk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association (KnAAPO) will build the airplanes for Vietnam. They will be similar in configuration to the multirole Su-30MKK fighters delivered to China.

According to the editor of the magazine, Ehksport Vooruzheniy, Maksim Pyadushkin, the purchase by Vietnam of four Su-30 is “a gratifying occurrence, since in that way a group of three countries is formed in Southeast Asia which has these aircraft in the inventory – Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. According to Pyadushkin, the four aircraft, most of all, are the first batch and in the coming years Vietnam should purchase eight more Su-30 fighters.

An expert from the Center for the Study of the Problems of Disarmament, Marat Kenzhetaev, says that in the mid ‘90s, when Vietnam bought 12 Su-27 fighters in Russia for a total of 380 million dollars, it had been proposed that this country buy in all a minimum of a regiment, that is, 24 aircraft from the Su-27/Su-30 family. The purchase of only four aircraft makes no sense, therefore, the speedy purchase of eight more Su-30 is close at hand, the expert thinks.

In all Vietnam is buying in Russia arms for almost half a billion dollars. This is a record amount in the military and technical cooperation of the two countries since the break-up of the USSR. This summer, contracts were signed for the delivery and production under license of 10 project 1241.8 missile boats at 120 million dollars and two S-300PMU anti-aircraft missile system battalions for 250 million dollars. Kenzhetaev thinks that this is too large a total for Vietnam, and therefore, a pause in future purchases of Su-30 is unavoidable.

Su-30 in Asia: If in 2002 not one contract for the delivery of new Su-27/Su-30 family of fighters had been concluded, then this year, Rosoboronehksport has signed contracts for the delivery of 50 aircraft of this type. In January, a contract was signed for the delivery of 24 Su-30MKK fighters to China, in April – for the delivery of two Su-27 and two Su-30 to Indonesia, and in August – for the sale of 18 Su-30MKM fighters to Malaysia. Together with the Vietnamese contract, the quantity of new Su fighters contracted this year may reach 50 aircraft.

Source: 02.12.03, Vedomosti