Indonesia Confirms Hercules C-130 Purchase, Gets Sanctions Waiver to buy Sukhoi-35

Indonesia has confirmed a plan to buy Hercules C-130 transport planes from the United States while also getting waiver from US sanctions to purchase Russian Su-35 fighter jets.

"In future, Indonesia plans to buy several primary weaponry systems, including Hercules C-130 planes, and other heavy-duty transport planes from the US," Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said, while paying a courtesy call on US Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Washington DC, on Tuesday, Antara news reported.

In the long run, Indonesia is committed to gradually improving its primary weaponry systems on a self-reliant basis and under a partnership scheme with friendly countries, Ryacudu stated.

Ryacudu thanked the US for exempting Indonesia from secondary sanctions for purchasing Russian weaponry and referred to Jakarta’s Su-35 fighter jet purchase stating that was committed before the US National Defence Authorization Act came into force.

Indonesia has in the past purchased both Russian and US equipment but has now adapted a policy of local production and expects more of its defence equipment needs to be met from domestic companies.

The confirmation of C-130 Hercules buy puts at rest speculation that Indonesia might add to its orders of Airbus A-400M planes of which it bought 5 worth USD2 billion in January 2017. The Indonesian Air Force already has older generation C-130 aircraft which it wants to replace.