Ministry in talks with Lockheed Martin about Hercules

The Defense Ministry is currently in talks with American company Lockheed Martin Corp. to negotiate the purchase of a Hercules, Tempointeraktif.com reported Tuesday.

“We are still assessing and discussing the possibility of buying [the plane],” Minister Juwono Sudarsono said on the sidelines of a meeting with Malaysian Defense Minister Dato seri Ahmad Zaid Bin Hamidi in Jakarta.

Juwono said negotiations were underway to purchase an H-type Hercules at a reduced price.
“But we do not know the price [of the plane] or the reduction value,” he said. The negotiation of the price is the responsibility of the defense contractor, he added.

“It also depends on how much the US Defense Minister will loan us to fund the purchase.”

Juwono said representatives from Lockheed Martin had met with Secretary General Sjafrie Syamsudin to make an offer.

“They came three weeks ago through the US Defense Minister,” he added. (adh)