Belarus and Russia reach preliminary agreement on Su-30 fighter jets delivery

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World Aviation Defense & Security News - Russia & Belarus
 
 
Belarus and Russia reach preliminary agreement on Su-30 fighter jets delivery
 
A preliminary agreement has been reached on delivering Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-C) multipurpose fighter jets to the Belarusian Air and Air Defense Forces, Belarusian Deputy Defense Minister Igor Lotenkov said on Thursday.
     
Belarus and Russia reach preliminary agreement on Su 30 fighter jets deliveries 640 001A RuAF Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft
     
The Su-30 fighter jets will replace Mikoyan MiG-29 (Fulcrum) aircraft operational with the Belarusian Air and Air Defense Forces, he added.

"The Su-30 fighter jets will boost the potential to destroy aerial targets. Their big operational range will allow flight crews to accomplish combat missions from any airfield in the country," the newspaper Belarus Today quoted Lotenkov as saying.

According to him, the MiG-29 aircraft have been operational with the Belarusian Air and Air Defense Forces for about 30 years.

"We have calculated how much we have to spend on their maintenance and come to the conclusion that the fleet renewal, although with a less number of aircraft, will not require such considerable amounts of finance," the Belarusian defense minister said.

According to him, "the total potential of Belarusian aircraft will remain virtually the same."

He also said that the 558th aircraft-repairing plant in Baranovichi could provide maintenance and repair for Su-30 fighter jets.

Belarusian Defense Minister Andrei Ravkov said in late 2015 that Belarus was planning to purchase Su-30 fighter jets, as well as continue buying Yakovlev Yak-130 (Mitten) combat trainers and Tor-M2 (SA-15 Gauntlet) air defense missile systems within the framework of military and technical cooperation with Russia.

"We will continue renewing the aircraft fleet and providing air defense missile and radio technical forces with military hardware in the imminent future within the framework of bilateral cooperation with Russia," the Belarusian defense minister said.

"We are planning to purchase Su-30 and Yak-130 aircraft and Tor-M2 air defense missile systems," he added.
     
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