T

he Indonesian and Australian governments are close to striking a deal in the procurement of six more refurbished heavy transport aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), an official has confirmed.

Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Hartind Asrin said that talks between officials of the two countries had gone on for weeks and both sides have almost reached a deal on the procurement of six Lockheed Martin
C-130H Hercules aircraft.

“This would be a good deal for us. The price is good,” Hartind told The Jakarta Post. “After being refurbished, the planes will be just like new, with their mileages set to zero again.”

This would be the second deal after Indonesia’s Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and his Australian counterpart Stephen Smith signed agreements on defense cooperation in Darwin, Australia, last month, which included a grant of four refurbished C-130Hs.

The six C-130Hs will cost the Indonesian government approximately US$15 million. The procurement will likely be financed with money from the 2013 State Budget, Hartind said.

The 10 C-130H are being decommissioned by the Australian government as the RAAF has purchased the latest model of the Hercules, the C-130J, and six C-17 Globemaster III large transports.

Hartind said the four Hercules would be shipped to the country as soon as the Defense Ministry and the House of Representatives give their go-ahead and after inspection of the aircraft.