Venezuela Purchasing 24 New Russian-Made Fighter Jets

[Owais]

Venezuela Purchasing 24 New Russian-Made Fighter Jets
Voice of America News
Mon, 19 Jun 2006, 00:43


Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his government will purchase 24 new Russian Sukhoi fighter jets this year to replace a fleet of U.S.-made F-16s.

President Chavez made the announcement Wednesday in a speech before hundreds of soldiers at a military base in Caracas. Mr. Chavez also presented the troops with new Russian-made AK-103 rifles - part of an order of 100,000 of the weapons scheduled for delivery within the next six months.

President Chavez said Venezuela is preparing for what he called the defense of sacred land. He has frequently warned that the United States could invade to seize control of Venezuela's oil reserves.

U.S. officials deny any such plan exists. Last month, U.S. officials cited alleged Venezuelan links to Cuba and Iran as a reason behind a decision to ban arms sales to the government in Caracas.

Venezuela has warned it could sell its F-16 fighter jets to other countries, such as Iran, while looking to buy more aircraft from Russia. U.S. officials say Washington and Caracas have previously signed agreements that would not allow such a resale.

 

[Kaiser]

I think there either gonna be the russian SU-32 or SU-35

 

[Neo]

Even being a oil rich country, Imho Venzuela will not go for the latest design but opt for the Su-27 just like mexico.
If the situation becomes worse and sanctions are posed on the country, it might face a financial crisis.

 

[Kaiser]

Venezuela exports alot of oil to the US, its currently the US's 3rd largest oil exporter not only that but the Venezualan president is just as stuborn as the Iranian president and has countless times threatened to cut off oil supply's to the US.

 

[sigatoka]

Even being a oil rich country, Imho Venzuela will not go for the latest design but opt for the Su-27 just like mexico.
If the situation becomes worse and sanctions are posed on the country, it might face a financial crisis.

If U.S. alone imposes sanctions only it will be hurt because trade will simply be diverted to other nations. The only sanctions which are effective are those passed by the U.N. which wont happen becaue Venezuala hasnt done anything that will allow sanctions to be imposed.

 

[melb4aust]

If U.S. alone imposes sanctions only it will be hurt because trade will simply be diverted to other nations. The only sanctions which are effective are those passed by the U.N. which wont happen becaue Venezuala hasnt done anything that will allow sanctions to be imposed.

I think they should go for Su-30 MKI version, similar to india one.

 

[master_fx]

they might go for su-30....... (su-35 is not mature enough)
btw: there are currently 200 chinese SOF station there securing oil........

 

[Neo]

Monday, July 3, 2006 (Caracas (Venezuela)):

Two Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets, the first of 24 SU-30s that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez plans to purchase from Moscow, have arrived in the South American nation.

Air Force Cmdr. Roger Cordero Lara told Venezuelan state-run television that the new combat jets would be presented to the public during a July 5 military parade to celebrate the anniversary of Venezuela's independence from Spain.

"These planes are here to safeguard our sovereignty," Cordero Lara said.

Defence deals

Chavez says the SU-30s will replace a fleet of US-made F-16s, which Venezuela has had trouble maintaining because the administration of US President George W Bush has refused to sell Caracas parts.

Venezuela has not yet negotiated a deal for the purchase of the 24 Sukhoi fighter jets, but Chavez has said the agreement is certain to be signed during his July 25 visit to Moscow.

Chavez, a former paratroop commander, is using surging oil revenues to modernize Venezuela's military, signing defence deals worth an estimated $2.7 billion with countries including Russia and Spain.

Despite Washington's objections, Venezuela is purchasing 15 Russian helicopters for $200 million and officials say they hope to buy 18 more.

Venezuela is also buying 100,000 Russian-made AK-103 assault rifles along with ammunition and a license to produce Kalashnikov rifles.

 

[melb4aust]

Good choice:thumbsup: , Venezuela is another nation i like alot. As every one knows how capable SU-30 aircraft is, they have made the right choice as they had no future along with US tech and stuff.

On the other hand Russia is also one of the biggest arm supplying in nation in the world. After the fall of Soviet union, In early nintees and late eightees russia become the biggest arm supplying nation. They even supplied AK-47 by kilos. Cold war led them to manufacture tons and tons of ammuniation and arms. But after 1988 all those arms were in no use, so they supplied that all stuff to different countries also including african nations.

 

[Neo]

Moscow sends first fighter jets to Venezuela

MOSCOW (updated on: November 30, 2006, 21:25 PST): The first two Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets destined for Venezuela under a deal slammed by Washington have been dispatched from Russia, officials said on Thursday.

"Two Su-30MK2 have been sent on board an An-124 transport plane to the Venezuelan Air Force" from Komsomolsk-on-Amur, a city in far eastern Russia where the planes are made, said an official from Russia's arms export agency.

Two other fighter jets destined for Venezuela according to a deal that has riled the United States will be delivered by the end of the year, the official told RIA-Novosti news agency.

 

[Neo]

We can expect Chaves to dipose his F-16's anytime soon.
I believe they're all block 15 model A and B's, no use to any new customer.

 

[Janbaz]

We can expect Chaves to dipose his F-16's anytime soon.
I believe they're all block 15 model A and B's, no use to any new customer.

Bngladesh or other obsolete air forces might buy and upgrade them. My feeling.

 

[TomCat111]

Bngladesh or other obsolete air forces might buy and upgrade them. My feeling.

Without prior blessings from the US, they will be useless for anybody. Though, they can be of great value in black market, e.g. for China, provided the transfer takes place in absolute secrecy. Which is almost impossible. That leaves the possibility of scraping the aircrafts, its weapons, and their support equipment and selling the scrap here and there in black markets.

 

[Contrarian]

i wish they'd have bought an MKI like singapore

we'd have gotten some money from that then.

 

[Neo]

Without prior blessings from the US, they will be useless for anybody. Though, they can be of great value in black market, e.g. for China, provided the transfer takes place in absolute secrecy. Which is almost impossible. That leaves the possibility of scraping the aircrafts, its weapons, and their support equipment and selling the scrap here and there in black markets.

Why would China be interested in atleast 20 years old block 15 technology?