Asia-Pacific countries eye Russia’s advanced fighter jets, amphibious planes

LE BOURGET (France), June 21. /TASS/. Russia’s most advanced Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet, the upgraded Ilyushin Il-78 aerial refueling tanker and the Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft evoke the enhanced interest of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, Russian state arms seller Rosoboronexport Chief Alexander Mikheyev said on Wednesday. "Currently, the Su-35 multirole super-maneuverable fighter jet, Su-30MK multipurpose fighters, the Yak-130 combat trainers, the Il-78MK-90 aerial refueling tanker and the Be-200 multifunctional amphibious plane evoke enhanced interest in the Asia-Pacific region," the company’s chief executive said at the Le Bourget international aerospace show in France. Russia has delivered over 250 Sukhoi brand aircraft to countries of the Asia-Pacific region. Several countries of the region have chosen Su-30 fighters as basic combat aircraft of their air forces, Mikheyev said. "The share of the Asia-Pacific region in the structure of Rosoboronexport’s exports has amounted to 45 percent as a whole in the past five years. Russia has good prospects on the arms markets of Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Myanmar and some other countries of the region," the Rosoboronexport head said. Read more