By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Malaysia plans to buy 18 Russian Su-30MKM fighters capable of carrying Russian-Indian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, the Izvestia daily said Tuesday.
The paper said, citing military sources, that Malaysian Defense Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi plans Tuesday to visit the Irkut aviation plant that is producing Su-30MKI fighters for India.
According to Izvestia, each aircraft would cost Malaysia about $50 million, future maintenance included.
During the visit, the minister “may sign a contract to buy 18 Su-30MKM multirole fighters”, the paper said.
The defense minister also plans to discuss installing new missiles, including BrahMos, on the 18 Su-30MKM fighters that Malaysia received in August 2009 under the $900-million contract signed in 2003.
Malaysia’s mixed fighter fleet also includes Russian MiG-29N Fulcrum and the US F/A-18D Hornet and F-5 Tiger.
The Su-30MKM is a multi-role version based on the Su-30MKI model and features a customized avionics package built to Malaysian specifications. The Sukhoi family of fighters constitute the bulk of Russia’s arms exports.