| | От | andrew~han |  |
| К | All |  |
| Дата | 16.03.2008 16:00:08 |  |
| Рубрики | Современность; ВВС; |  |
Шри-Ланка собирается брать 5 миГ-29
Собираются взять 4 МиГ-29СМ и один МиГ-29УБ. Процесс приобретения идет хорошо, со слов главы компании Lanka Logistics and Technologies Limited, которая отвечает за закупкт для вооруженных сил.
Jane's Defence Weekly
Sri Lanka nears MiG-29 purchase
Jon Grevatt JDW Jane's Defence Industry Editor
Bangkok
Sri Lanka is in advanced talks with Russia over the procurement of five MiG-29 fighter aircraft, the head of the country's state-owned procurement agency has said.
Jayantha Wickramasinghe, chief executive officer of Lanka Logistics and Technologies Limited (the company created by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence in 2007 to procure equipment for the armed forces), said that the acquisition of four MiG-29SMs and one MiG-29UB was "well under way".
"Negotiations about these aircraft are continuing," Wickramasinghe told Jane's on 13 March. "We are discussing all possibilities."
The procurement follows the emergence of the air division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which used Zlin Z 143 light aircraft to bomb the airport and Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) base in Colombo in March 2007.
The aircraft would also augment four overhauled MiG-27s that were received by the SLAF in 2006 and 2007 from Ukrinmash, Ukraine's state-owned defence organisation.
Although he would not divulge any more details about the potential procurement of the MiG-29s, which would cost around USD75 million, Wickramasinghe implied that Sri Lanka was also advancing the acquisition of a number of other military platforms.
He said: "What is required by the Sri Lankan armed forces is the sort of equipment required by any modern force. We are going ahead with the procurement plans - but I am unable to be more specific at this time."
Along with the procurement of new fighter aircraft from Russia, Colombo has plans for the acquisition of a number of other defence items, including mobile radars, utility helicopters, attack craft for the Sri Lankan Navy and transport vehicles and combat equipment for the Sri Lankan Army.
To help pay for these acquisitions, Colombo has set a 2008 defence budget of LKR166.4 billion (USD1.51 billion): an increase of 20 per cent on official spending of LKR139.6 billion a year earlier.