By IANS,
Jakarta : Indonesia has accepted an offer from the US to buy 24 used F-16 fighter jets to improve the strength of its air force.
The Indonesian parliament Wednesday approved the government’s plan to accept the US offer. But some MPs insisted on buying brand new F-16 planes instead of taking the used fighter jets, Xinhua reported.
The government’s budget was equal to buying six new jets.
The MPs said if the government takes the old aircraft, it has to spend on maintaining the airworthiness of the planes.
Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the planes will be upgraded into F-16 Block 52, the latest version of that plane.
Indonesia is also expecting deliveries of Sukhoi Su-30 planes from Russia.
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