Pie in the Sky
covering burma and southeast asia
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Pie in the Sky


By Aung Zaw AUGUST, 2006 - VOLUME 14 NO.8


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Burma’s air force gets a boost but still can’t make the grade in Southeast Asia

Satellite images from the internet service Google Earth confirm that Burma’s air force is being significantly upgraded and expanded. The reinforcement of the country’s airborne capabilities has been going o­n since 1988, but it took a new turn recently with the formation of an air defense department.

The department was at first headed by Prime Minister Gen Soe Win, but is now believed to be led by Maj-Gen Myint Hlaing, former commander of Northern Command in Shan State. Analysts believe that the department’s creation is a result of the regime’s chronic paranoia and its alarm over purchases by Thailand’s air force of sophisticated jet fighters and helicopters from the US and Europe.

Burma responded to Thailand’s build-up over the past two decades by purchasing jet fighters from China, Russia and Eastern Europe and negotiating with India for other aircraft. At the same time, it has been upgrading its air bases and extending air strips throughout the country.

Google Earth’s satellite images disclose the movement of combat aircraft and helicopters, while rebel groups based along the border with Thailand are also closely monitoring developments, viewing the build-up as a serious threat.

Exiled dissident groups monitoring air force activities in and around Mergui (officially known as Myeik), in southern Tanessarim Division, say Russian trainers and technicians have been seen in the area and that the military has stockpiled fuel and supplies in the expanded Mergui air base. According to intelligence reports, the base has been reinforced with nine Chinese-made fighter jets and two Russian-made MiG-29s. Since December, artillery pieces and heavy arms, as well as Chinese-made HN-2 and HN-5 surface-to-air missile launchers, have been delivered to artillery bases in Mergui, and to other bases along the Thai-Burmese border.

After prolonged negotiations with the Russians, conducted since the mid-1990s, Burma’s military acquired 12 Russian MiG-29 jet fighters in 2001, following clashes with Thai forces in northern border regions. The Thais deployed American F-16s and apparently alarmed the Burmese with their air defense capabilities. Defense analysts believe that the clash prodded the Burmese to repair the evident disparity by acquiring a further 10 MiG-29 fighters and two dual-seat trainers—reportedly at a cost of US $130 million, of which half was to be paid up front, and the balance remitted over the next 10 years.

Defence analysts believe that the junta is also negotiating to buy medium to long-range air-to-surface missiles—useful not o­nly in counter-insurgency campaigns, but also as a defense against the better-equipped Thai air force, which has a fleet of more than 30 American-made F-16 fighters, which are thought to be better aircraft than the Russian MiG-29s. Reassurances by Thailand that Burma has nothing to fear from a superior Thai air force appear to have done nothing to dispel the junta’s paranoia.

Burmese nervousness was evident last month when a Thai army helicopter was hit by Burmese small arms fire as it flew near Thailand’s border with Shan State. Nobody aboard the Thai Third Army helicopter was hurt and the machine landed safely, In a much more serious incident in August 1997, a Thai army helicopter was shot down by the Burmese army over Burmese territory near Mae Sot, o­n Thailand’s border with Karen State, killing the two pilots and two soldiers.

Burma certainly has a lot of catching up to do if it is to keep pace with the air power of other Southeast Asian countries. Until 1988, the air force was ill-equipped and under-strength and many of its jet fighters and planes were obsolete and could not even fly. After 1988, Burma began buying jet fighters and helicopters from China, Russia and East European countries such as former Yugoslavia and Poland.

Australian defense analyst Andrew Selth noted in his book Burma’s Armed Forces: Power Without Glory that by 2000 the air force had about five squadrons of F-7 fighters, four squadrons of A-5 fighters and G-4 ground attack planes, and two squadrons of Mi-2 helicopters and Mi-17 helicopters. Since the early 1990s, Burma’s air force has bought helicopters from Russia.

While upgrading its air power, Burma has also installed early warning systems and built radar stations in the north and south of the country.



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