Another old but interesting article on Zimbabwean interest in JFT
By Staff Reporter
Last updated: 06/09/2004 13:44:58
ZIMBABWE has ploughed an estimated US$200m into the purchase of 12 new fighter jets and military vehicles from China, New Zimbabwe.com has been told.
The government's acquisition of the military hardware is set to cause a stink with critics led by the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change. The MDC has already queried the defence budget -- the biggest in the current financial year -- which it says is unjustifiable in peace time.
Due to sanctions imposed on President Robert Mugabe's regime, Zimbabwe's current fleet of European-made fighter jets is said to be crippled by a critical shortage of spares which has forced the government to look to China and the Far East.
Although the government has refused to disclose the type of aircraft being bought in the secret deal covered by the 1989 legal provision which excludes the acquisition of key military equipment from going through a tender board or to be advertised, sources tell New Zimbabwe.com the aircraft include the FC-1 (Fighter China 1), developed recently to replace the Chengdu F-7. The cost of each plane is US$20m.
The FC-1 was designed by China to replace the F-7 which has been widely criticised by military experts. Pakistan, which like Zimbabwe was using the F-7 is China's biggest customer for the FC-1.
Apart from the 12 jets, Zimbabwe has also put an order for 100 military vehicles. At least six of the jets are expected to be delivered any time this week, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Trust Maphosa told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs.
It is not clear where the funding for the new aircraft is coming from as in the current budget, announced by government in November last year, the army was allocated $815, 49 billion (about US$154 million) with 69 percent expected to be chewed by salaries and the rest going to operations.
Mt Darwin MP Savior Kasukuwere queried the manner in which the purchase of military equipment had by-passed the State Procurement Board, a move he said might result in the army buying equipment which may be expensive, but having a short life span.
Maphosa told the parliamentary committee that the decision to buy the military hardware from China was a political decision after the force had encountered problems in procuring spare parts for equipment bought in Western Europe as a result of European Union sanctions imposed against President Mugabe's regime.
Zimbabwe has one of the most formidable defence forces in Africa, whose highlight after the country’s independence include assisting the Mozambican government subdue the former rebel Renamo in the 1980s and repelling invasion forces who were threatening to overrun the DRC capital, Kinshasa in 1998.
The Air Force of Zimbabwe has two bases in Manyame (near Harare) and Thornhill (Gweru) with personnel estimated at about 5 000 in 1999. Currently, the Air Force has the Chengdu F-7 fighter jet, British-made Hawker Hunters and recently demonstrated newly-acquired Russian-made MiG-23 jets and Mi-35 helicopter gunships, armed for attacking targets on the ground, especially with automatic gunfire, but often also with rockets and/or missiles.
Additional reporting Daily Mirror
