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Melville ten Cate, a Dutch co-founder of a private company called ECA Program, confirmed to BelaPAN on Tuesday that the company has signed a deal with Belarus’ Beltechexport to buy 15 Sukhoi Su-27 “Flanker” fighter jets for €1.2 billion ($1.5 billion).
The Financial Times reported on August 30 that the warplanes would be used as a mock enemy in military training exercises, and that the Icelandic government was in talks about renting the Keflavik airbase to ECA Program. According to the paper, ECA Program says that it has already signed up five air forces keen to test their pilots and jets against an aircraft most commonly flown by the Russian and Chinese militaries.
An official reportedly said that the Icelandic government was close to giving conditional approval to ECA. Reykjavik would consult NATO allies before a final go-ahead, he added.
The Su-27 jets were originally made in Russia and will be upgraded in Belarus, with the first delivery in October, Mr. ten Cate said. He noted that the aircraft would not be equipped to carry live ammunition, and that no training would take place in Icelandic airspace.