Venezuela purchases Chinese jets again
Source: Agencies |
June 8, 2010, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
VENEZUELA will spend US$82 million on a second batch of Chinese K-8 military training aircraft, the Latin American country's President Hugo Chavez has said.
Chavez's government has ordered 18 of the light attack and training planes from China, and Venezuela received the first six jets in March.
"We have approved US$82 million for the second batch of Chinese-made K-8 jets. The aircraft are for the security and defense of the country," Chavez said during his regular television program on Sunday.
Chavez has said he wants to buy 40 K-8s. He ordered 18 of them from China after a plan to buy similar jets from a Brazilian company fell through.
It was not immediately clear how many of the aircraft would be included in the second group, or when they would arrive.
Venezuelan officials said in March that the versatile jets would be used to train local pilots and intercept drug traffickers who use the country as a stop-off point to smuggle Colombian cocaine to the United States, Europe and Africa.
Venezuela has also bought a network of Chinese radars and spent about US$4 billion on Russian weapons, including tanks, missile systems and fighter jets.
Chavez said he was simply modernizing his armed forces.
Chinese companies are involved in the exploration of Venezuela's vast Orinoco heavy crude belt, and China said it is also providing US$20 billion of long-term financing for projects in the South American oil exporter.
Chavez's government has ordered 18 of the light attack and training planes from China, and Venezuela received the first six jets in March.
"We have approved US$82 million for the second batch of Chinese-made K-8 jets. The aircraft are for the security and defense of the country," Chavez said during his regular television program on Sunday.
Chavez has said he wants to buy 40 K-8s. He ordered 18 of them from China after a plan to buy similar jets from a Brazilian company fell through.
It was not immediately clear how many of the aircraft would be included in the second group, or when they would arrive.
Venezuelan officials said in March that the versatile jets would be used to train local pilots and intercept drug traffickers who use the country as a stop-off point to smuggle Colombian cocaine to the United States, Europe and Africa.
Venezuela has also bought a network of Chinese radars and spent about US$4 billion on Russian weapons, including tanks, missile systems and fighter jets.
Chavez said he was simply modernizing his armed forces.
Chinese companies are involved in the exploration of Venezuela's vast Orinoco heavy crude belt, and China said it is also providing US$20 billion of long-term financing for projects in the South American oil exporter.
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