KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The government will pay for the purchaseof 18 Su-30MKM aircraft including spare parts costing RM3.8 billion overfive years between this year and 2008, Deputy Defence Minister Datuk MohdShafie Apdal said Thursday.

He said 30 percent or RM1.027 billion of the purchase price would be paidduring the Eighth Malaysia Plan from now until 2005.

The balance would be paid from 2006 to 2008 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan,he said in reply to a question from Nasharudin Mat Isa (Pas-Yan) at theDewan Rakyat here.

Mohd Shafie the Russian government had also agreed to buy palm oil to thevalue of the 30 percent of the entire contract price which includes thesetting up of a service centre and sending a Malaysian astronaut intospace.

He also called on local companies to enter into the manufacture ofsophisticated spare parts for aircraft and weaponry to fulfill the needsof the country now that the government was purchasing aircraft from Russiaas well as the F/A-18 F Super Hornets from the Boeing Company of theUnited States.

Speaking to reporters at the lobby of Parliament House, he hailed thesuccess of Composite Technology Research Industry Malaysia (CTRM) insecuring a US$300 million to produce spare parts for Airbus Industrie.

-- BERNAMA