Indonesia Confirms Ordering Su-35s

Indonesia's defense minister had finally signed the official document approving to acquire Russia-made Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to replace the would-be decommissioned F-5 E/F Tiger II operated by Indonesian air forces.

The document had been submitted to the National Development Planning (Bappenas) for the follow up.

Indonesian Air Forces Marshall Agus Supriatna has said recently that before the signing, the air forces has submitted the characteristics of fighter jets eligible to replace the F-5 E/F Tiger II which was in service since 1980.

According to Agus, the air forces proposed two options to replace the light attack F-5 E/F Tiger II. One is Sukhoi 35, the other is F-16 Viper produced by the United States producer Lokheed Martin.

"As the final user, the Indonesian Air Forces only submitted the technical specifications of fighter jets that we desire, capable to accomplish our missions," Agus was quoted as saying by a local media on Thursday.

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Russia has Submitted its Offer of Su-35s to Indonesia

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China Confirms Su-35, S-400 Deals With Russia

Col. Wu Qian said the Su-35 project is “one of the areas in which China and Russia are willing to cooperate.”

He added that the S-400 acquisition is progressing smoothly.

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Chinese Su-35 Purchase Suggests Lack of Confidence in Local Defense Industry

The announcement on 19 November that China would buy 24 Sukhoi Su-35 combat aircraft is being viewed as a clear signal that Beijing is still dependent on Russian-made hardware for its primary defence requirements.

The contract came after years of negotiations - and only after interventions by what has been described as "the highest levels within the Kremlin".

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My bet the J-20 is delayed.  Given they just rolled out another prototype, the 8th, I'd say that's the case.

Chinese Su-35 Deliveries Will not Start Until late 2018/Early 2019

Russia will implement the contract for delivery of 24 Su-35 fighters to China in three years, TASS reports with reference to a source close to the military-technical cooperation system.

“All the contract liabilities of the Russian part will be fulfilled in three years,” the source said answering the corresponding question. The first Su-35 fighters will be delivered to China in 2016, the source noted.

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First Chinese Su-35s to be Delivered in 2016?

The first batch of Russia’s Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets will be supplied to China in 2016, a source in the system of military and technical cooperation told TASS on Friday.

"The first fighter jets will arrive for China in 2016," the source said.

It was reported on Thursday that Russia had signed a contract on the delivery of 24 Su-35 fighter jets to China. The deal is estimated at no less than $2 billion and also envisages the delivery of ground support equipment and reserve aircraft engines.

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China is Buying 24 Su-35 Fighters From Russia for $2 Billion

Russia and China have signed a contract on the delivery of 24 multirole Su-35 Flanker jet fighters, Rostec’s director of international cooperation and regional policy Viktor Kladov said Thursday.

“The long negotiations have ended with the signing of a contract on the delivery of 24 multirole Su-35 fighters to China,” Kladov told RIA Novosti.

He added that China is the first foreign country to sign a contract on the delivery of the newest Su-35s.

The Su-35 fighter jet (NATO reporting name Flanker-E) is an upgraded version of the Su-27 multirole fighter. It was first introduced to a foreign audience at the 2013 Paris Air Show.

Indonesia, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates have also expressed interest in purchasing Su-35 jets, according to Rostec.

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EDIT!  14:12 PT: I ought to have put it in earlier, but this procurement has enormous implications for the J-20 introduction.  Buying the Su-35 implies the J-20 is being significantly delayed.

Indonesia Negotiating for Purchase of Su-35s

Jakarta has discussed the purchase of Su-35s to replace country’s US-made Northrop F-5 Tiger II fighter jets for months. In September, Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said that the purchase decision was made. However soon after that, the Indonesian Defense Ministry officials denied that this decision was final and Indonesia was engaged in direct negotiations with Russia on the matter.

"Indonesia decided on its choice, what next – we will see," Viktor Kladov told RIA Novosti, answering a question about the progress of negotiations on the delivery of Su-35 to Jakarta.

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United Arab Emirates Negotiating With Russia to buy Su-35 Fighters

Russia is negotiating with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) possible deliveries of Sukhoi Su-35 fighters, Russia’s state technologies corporation Rostec head Sergey Chemezov said Sunday.

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Eh?! Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill Given Su-35 Fighter

Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, was presented with an unlikely gift for a religious leader this week as he toured a factory in Russia's far-east - a single-seater fighter jet SU-35.

Kirill was presented with the jet after giving workers at the civilian and military aircraft plant icons blessed by himself, the church said in a statement on its official website on Tuesday.

The patriarch, with whom President Vladimir Putin has fostered increasingly close ties in recent years, addressed the workers on the importance of protecting Russia.

"Russia cannot be a vassal. Because Russia is not only a country, it is a whole civilization, it is a thousand-year story, a cultural melting-pot, of enormous power," RIA news agency quoted him as saying.

"In order for us to be able to live a sovereign life, we must, if necessary, be able to defend our homeland."

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Indonesia Leaning Towards Su-35 to Replace Aging F-5 Fighters, but may Prefer American Aircraft

Indonesia’s defense authority is leaning toward a plan to purchase 16 of the latest generation of Russian twin-engine Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighters to replace its F-5 Tigers.

The decision to purchase the Russian fighters came after a meeting between Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Indonesian military top brass, including Military Commander Gen. Moeldoko and Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia in mid-January.

Speaking to reporters, Yusgiantoro said they also considered other options to replace the aging Tigers beyond the Su-35 purchase.

Moeldoko said the Air Force will hold further evaluations of other fighters prior to making a final decision. Other fighters under evaluation are the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 60, Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle and F/A-18 Super Hornet, and the Dassault Rafale.

An Air Force adviser — a retired three-star Air Force marshal — hinted that the American fighters would likely be preferable for Indonesia.

The adviser, however, said the Tiger replacement would not be decided in the near future, despite claims that Indonesia is ready to equip its Air Force with a squadron of new fighters.

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Sukhoi Seeking to Sell Su-35, T-50/PAK-FA to South East Asia

Sukhoi is targeting its most advanced combat aircraft at existing customers in Southeast Asia, Mikhail Tyukhanov, Sukhoi marketing director, said on 11 February.

Sukhoi has three prime customers in the region - Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia - and Tyukhanov said that they are all potential purchasers of two of the company's most modern fighter platforms: the Su-35 'Super Flanker' and the T-50 PAK-FA.

"Southeast Asia is an important combat aircraft market for us because we have sold many aircraft already to Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia," said Tyukhanov. "But it is also true that [these countries] are now becoming an important market for other fighter aircraft manufacturers in the world so we have to be competitive."

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