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Zimbabwe Acquires Six New Chinese Fighters
From the 14th April Mercury (South Africa):Harare: President Robert Mugabe's government had acquired six fighter jets "to deal with any challenges", state radio reported yesterday. It did not disclose the supplier or the price tag, but the report first named them as the "K-8" and then the "K-fighter". The aircraft appeared to be the K-8 advanced jet trainer, a Chinese copy of the British Aerospace BAE Hawk, said Michael Quintana, former editor of Africa Defence Journal. The Hawk was supplied to Zimbabwe by then Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher soon after independence in 1980. But Tony Blair's Labour Party slapped an embargo on spare parts in 2000 to protest against human rights abuses. Quintana said Egypt had bought K-8 trainers from China for $20 million (R120 million) each... The radio broadcast quoted the Air Force Acting Director of Operations, Group Captain Builtin Chingoto, as saying the new fighters were meant to keep up with fast-changing technology. "They will go a long way to improve the operations of our air force in order to defend the country's air space and territorial integrity," he said. "They will enable the force to deal with any challenges."... About 70% of Zimbabweans live in absolute poverty, with 5 million of its 11.6 million people dependent last year on international food aid. Hospitals lack medicines and food, while schools lack desks, books and writing materials. Official figures showed Zimbabwe's inflation rate fell to 123.7% in March, down 3.5% from February, the government-controlled Daily Herald said. - Sapa-AP Posted by: Pappy 2005-04-16 |
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