Page 11 - ADT APRIL 2022 Online Magazine

also signed a preliminary agreement to col- [ REPORT ]
Second Thoughts laborate on the construction of two Scorpène
India in 2018 had inked a major deal for Russia’s S-400 Triumf mis- submarines for the Indonesian Navy.
sile systems but has been trying to be less dependent on Moscow
for its arms. According to Lu, the country has cancelled orders of
Russian MiG-29 fighter aircraft, helicopters and anti-tank weapons. Braving Sanctions
It was in 2020 that India’s Defence Acquisition Council approved the Not every country in the region is contemplat-
acquisition of the 21 MiG-29 jets. Countering America’s Adversaries ing giving up on Russian arms. In March this
through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) authorizes the U.S.to impose year, the Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin
sanctions against any country that buys military hardware from Lorenzana said that the country would proceed
adversaries like Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Given India’s stra- with a deal to purchase 17 military transport
tegic importance in the joint effort to keep China under check, the helicopters from Russia. The Mi-17 heavy lift
Biden administration has not imposed sanctions under the law helicopter deal was signed and partially paid
against India. for before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he
added. Delivery by Russia’s Sovtechnoexport
No country in Southeast Asia is more dependent on Russian arms is expected in 24 months.
than Vietnam. According to a report by Singapore's ISEAS–Yusof
Ishak Institute, the country accounted for 61% of Russian sales Next to Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar have been
in the region over the past two and a half decades. From 1995 to happy hunting grounds for Russian defence
2019, Russia sold US$7.4 billion in weapons to Vietnam, including contractors. In June last year, Senior Gen.
submarines, frigates, fighter jets, anti-aircraft missile systems and Min Aung Hlaing, the leader of Myanmar's
tanks. In 2019, Vietnam signed a US$350 million deal last year to military regime, traveled to Russia to receive
buy a dozen 12 Yak-130 combat training jets from Russia. In addi- a "honorary professorship" from the Russian
tion to training pilots of advanced fighter aircraft, the Yak-130 can Defense Ministry. In the last decade, Russia
also be equipped with air-to-surface weapons including guided sold about US$807 million worth of arms to
missiles and bombs. It is unknown when the jets would be delivered Myanmar, and was the second largest sup-
to Vietnam, or if the country will backtrack from the deal following plier behind China that sold weapons worth
Russian aggression in Ukraine. US$1.3 billion. Among the Russian-made mil-
itary equipment that Myanmar has acquired
In December last year, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force in the period are MiG-29 jets, Yakolev-130
(TNI AU), Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Fadjar Prasetyo confirmed combat training jets, Pechora-2M air defence
that the country had given up plans to acquire the Sukhoi Su-35 missile systems, armoured vehicles and artil-
Flanker-E to replace to the retired Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter lery pieces. In January last year, Russia and
aircraft and the ageing BAE Systems Hawk MK109/209 Strike Myanmar signed an agreement for the supply
aircraft. Although an official reason has not been provided, it is of the Russian Pantsir-S1 air defence system.
likely that the Su-35 deal did not materialize because of Indonesia’s As part of the agreement, Myanmar will also
concern that it would trigger actions under CAATSA. The country receive Orlan-10E unmanned aerial vehicles
had selected the Russian twin-engine, single-seat fighter in 2015 (UAVs) and radar stations in addition to a batch
and had provisionally agreed on a deal for 11 aircraft with Russian of self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun
arms export agency Rosoboronexport. systems Pantsir-S1. The air defence system is
designed to defend ground installations against
After narrowing its choice between the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II and a variety of enemy targets such as fixed-wing
the Dassault Rafale, Indonesia announced in February this year aircraft and helicopters, ballistic and cruise
that it would acquire 42 Rafale fighter jets in a $8.1 billion deal. missiles, precision-guided munitions and small
Indonesia's naval shipbuilder PT PAL and France's Naval Group UAVs.

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY April 2022 | 11