Posted on 09/18/2004 10:55:07 AM PDT by klpt
Venezuela plans to acquire 50 of Russia’s most advanced warplanes, the UPI news agency reported citing U.S., European and Latin American military intelligence officials who are concerned about regional ambitions harbored by President Hugo Chavez.
The UPI also reported details of agreements being negotiated with Russian defense contractors for a large number of super jet fighters fitted with state-of-the-art weaponry. In letters addressed last year to the director general of Russian Aeronautic Corp., Nicolai F. Nikitin, the Venezuelan air force requested the “latest version” of the MiG 29 SMT equipped with high-tech weaponry, including radar-guided missiles and 2,000-pound bombs.
“The plane must have the capacity to carry no less than 4 tons of bombs,” says the document signed by the Venezuelan air force commander, Maj. Gen. Regulo Anselini Espin, a copy of which has been obtained by UPI. Venezuelan generals have told European diplomatic officials that they need the MiGs to protect the Panama Canal. When asked against whom, the air chiefs wouldn’t specify.
Venezuelan defense officials have said that they were turning to new defense partners because of deteriorating military relations with the United States. More than half of Venezuela’s 22 F-16s are currently grounded due to a lack of maintenance and spare parts. But Colombia and other neighboring countries fear that the new arms would enable Chavez to impose his geopolitical and ideological agenda.
“The total quantity of airplanes provided is of 40 single-seat planes and 10 twin-seat planes,” Venezuelan air force documents state. Defense analysts point out that two-seat MiGs are normaly used for deep, surgical bombing missions.
Ten aircraft are due to be delivered within 18 months of the contract being signed, which also involves setting up a MiG 29 maintenance center in Venezuela, according to air force officials who outline plans for long-term supply and maintenance. “Future deliveries will be made with the participation of the specialists of the Venezuelan air force in the joint assembly of the planes and their test flights following their assembly on Venezuelan territory,” say letters of intent with Russia.
There are already several MiGs in Venezuela, according to Colombian defense officials who have shown UPI photographs of the planes being prepared for flight testing at the Libertador air base in Maracaibo. A U.S. intelligence source also claims that MiGs have been spotted flying near the Caribbean island of Curcao.
Members of Venezuela’s military say handpicked pilots are undergoing flight training in Cuba, which has six MiG 29s. Cuba is the only country in Latin America, except Peru, to be equipped with the advanced Russian model. Fidel Castro offers various types of security assistance to Venezuela in exchange for oil.
Russian and Cuban military officials enjoy warm relations with the Venezuelan Defense Ministry, according to American and EU diplomatic sources who believe that Russia is prepared to sell the full MiG package. The sources say that Russia’s defense attache, air force Col. Oleg Krayotin, holds regular meetings with Venezuelan Defense Minister Garcia Carneiro.
Venezuelan contracts are also being drawn up for Russian Mi-17 heavy-lift helicopters as well as radar systems from China, according to U.S. intelligence reports.
What is this war (in Iraq) good for? Great PR for Russian weapons, says Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov. Russian military experts are predicting that the performance of old Soviet weapons against U.S. forces will help boost demand for Russian tanks and anti-tank missiles – especially among the countries that belong to the so-called "axis of evil."
I must've somehow forgotten through my disdain for Muhammadanism...I still can't stand nor can I trust Russia's 'reformed' Communists. Screw Russia, red China and all such trash.
If he ever tries to use them against anybody we will destroy his toys.
Thats all these are, toys for a communist nutjob to play with.
In your hatred for the Slammics,don't forget that one of the biggest arms sellers to Saudi Arabia,Egypt ,Pakistan etc is the US of A.
I know. The garbage can is full in America...
Venezuela just completed a meeting with China. They are planning to build a pipeline to get oil to chinese tankers so they can sell all of their oil to China.
"What is this war (in Iraq) good for? Great PR for Russian weapons, says Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov. Russian military experts are predicting that the performance of old Soviet weapons against U.S. forces will help boost demand for Russian tanks and anti-tank missiles – especially among the countries that belong to the so-called "axis of evil.""
Whether there was a war in Iraq or not would not change what weapons are being made and sold. Saddam could well have been the intended buyer of these weapons, especially in an algore administration.
Why hasnt the CIA given Chavez a christmas present yet?
They are bad businessmen.
I am sure the suffering, starving masses who keep Chavez in power will see the irony in this.
I'm sure they will. When Comrade Putin gave advanced missile technology to North Korea he boasted how North Korea would only use the technology for peaceful scientific space research. In gratitude the North Korean people have now built a Russian Orthodox church in their country to honor the humanitarion relationship between the two nations.
Do you think we should send troops down there to oust him?
That's some sad news. Only 50???
After the initial air strike takes care of about 46 of them on the ground that will only leave 4 to shoot down!!
C'mon Chavez!!! The USN want's more targets!!!
The SMT's are a piece of junk. Just like all the other Russkie air gear. Even the PLAAF stopped their SU-27 purchases when they realized that they could not even keep 25% of the stuff operational.
What makes you think that Pepe, Juan, and Carlos can do better than the PLAAF??
Thank God it's SMT's and not something that actually works, like a Mirage 2000-5, Rafale's, or JAS-39's.
Maybe we should send down some policemen to arrest the Venezuelan Armed Forces.
Not many people know that Panama sold the eastern and western ports to Hutchinson Whampoa - a Chinese conglomerate onwed by Li Ki-shing, a billionare with extensive ties to the Red Army upper echelon and the Politboro.
This is why they need to protect the canal. This is why the Chinese are setting up shop in Haiti. This is why Brazil is increasing trade with China.
China controls the locks and gets the left-wing Latin governments to provide security.
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