Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov told the press in Moscow on 22 April that Russia and Sudan are beginning to draft an intergovernmental agreement on military-technical cooperation. High on the priority list will be 12 MiG-29s for Khartoum. This document may be signed during Sudanese President Umar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir's visit to Russia during the week.
Russia also wants India to participate in the development of Sukhoi aircraft for the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The variant sought by Kuala Lumpur would be a derivative of SU-30 MKI, which are flown by the Indian Air Force. Russia's Irkut Corporation has signed an Memoradum Of Understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for licensed manufacture of 140 SU-30 MKI aircraft in India.
The Irkut company has been in talks with the Malaysian Air Force on the issue and has suggested that a "regional center for integrated logistical support" for SU-30 MKI fighter jets be set up in India.
However, on the 22nd Malaysian Defence Minister Najib Razak told the press that Kuala Lumpur has not yet decided if it will buy Su-30MKs or other multi-role fighters
Anglo-Swedish group BAE/Saab's Jas 39 "Gripen" and Boeing's F/A-18 "Super Hornets" are contenders.
Malaysian Air Force chief Suleiman Mahmud told the press in mid-April that the air
force had submitted an evaluation report on Su-30MK to the government, but that a similar report on the Super Hornets had yet to completed. This deal for a squadron of 16 new fighters is estimated to be worth at least $1 billion. - Adam Geibel