Gadhafi to Purchase Jet Fighters from Russia

Libya – Colonel Moammar Gadhafi is planning on purchasing 12 to 15 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E multirole fighters, four Su-30 Flanker-C, and six Yakovlev Yak-130 combat training aircraft. The contracts with Rosoboronexport, Russian state-run arms exports, could be signed before the year ends or by early next year.

Libya’s arsenal is composed of old Soviet bought weapons that are now obsolete. During the 80s and 90s, Libya was considered a supporter of terrorist groups such as the IRA, and for a while had a nuclear weapons programme. Since abandoning the programme in December 2003, Gadhafi has been concerned in obtaining modern weapons. During a visit to Moscow by Gadhafi in November 2008, Putin agreed to write off his Soviet debt of $4.5 billion in exchange for energy and arms deals with Libya.

Libya is the latest country of the Arab states of North Africa (the Maghreb) to join the region’s arms race. Since 2006, the Maghreb states, including Algeria and Morocco, have been signing contract with arms exporting states in order to improve their own arsenals.

Source:
Libya shopping for Russian arms