Langkawi (Malaysia), March 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi and the Malaysian defence ministry have signed a $100-million contract for the technical maintenance of Malaysia's fleet of Su-30MKM fighters, said a spokesman for the organising committee of the LIMA-2013 aerospace exhibition.
The contract covers technical maintenance as well as supplies of spare parts for 18 Russian-made Su-30MKM fighters that were delivered to Malaysia between 2007 and 2009 under a $900-million contract signed in 2003.
In addition to its 18 Su-30MKM Flanker fighters, Malaysia also has 16 MiG-29N Fulcrum fighters in its combat aircraft fleet.
The Su-30MKM is a multi-role Flanker based on the Su-30MKI model and features a customized avionics package built to Malaysian specifications. Su-family fighters constitute the bulk of Russia's arms exports.