21 Desember 2020
News reports have emerged that Myanmar’s air force is buying two Airbus CASA C295 aircraft worth US$38.6 million (52.29 billion kyats) from the Royal Jordanian Air Force. While Airbus, based in the EU, would be prevented from entering such a deal directly by the bloc’s arms embargo against Myanmar, the Middle Eastern kingdom has no such sanctions preventing the sale.
Several countries in Europe and North America, including Canada, the Czech Republic and Finland, have purchased these planes. Among Asian countries, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia use them for tactical and logistical transport. Their short takeoff and landing capabilities make them well suited to Myanmar’s landscape.
Some activists outside of Myanmar have warned that the deal poses a threat to ethnic minorities in Myanmar. True. However, such qualms—not to mention concerns over past atrocities perpetrated in ethnic states—will not stand in the way of the armed forces’ determination to modernize. The military has the funds it needs to support its ambitious arms acquisition program and the expansion of its support facilities.
In recent years, the Tatmadaw has deployed jet fighters, helicopters and naval vessels in its offensive against the Arakan Army (AA) in Rakhine State. The insurgents and the military recently called a temporary ceasefire and entered a preliminary dialogue.
But the military’s attention is no longer focused narrowly on the ethnic states.
It is looking to buy more sophisticated jet fighters and naval vessels to protect offshore gas pipelines and to patrol the country’s borders, maritime boundary and airspace to deter incursion by foreign aircraft.
Myanmar military spokesman Major General Zaw Min Tun told local media that the new aircraft from Jordan are transport planes to replace the military’s ageing fleet of Chinese-made Y-8s. However, CASA C295s can be outfitted to deploy paratroopers or serve as gunships. The plane is manufactured and assembled at the Airbus Defense and Space facility in Seville, Spain.
The Myanmar military had five Y-8 transport planes until one of them crashed in the Andaman Sea in June 2017, killing all 122 passengers and crew. Since then, military leaders have opted against purchasing transport planes from China.
See full article The Irrawaddy