Belarus to upgrade its Su-27 fighters

Minsk: Belarus will repair and upgrade its Su-27 aircraft which have been decommissioned, Chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee Sergei Hurulev said here on Friday.

On the suggestion of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the Defence Ministry has decided to upgrade the decommissioned Su- 27 with the subsequent extension of their service life, Xinhua reported. Hurulev said it was possible to equip these fighter planes with advanced avionics and up-to-date weapons and protection equipment. In August 2013, Defence Minister Yuri Zhadobin told media that Su-27 had been withdrawn from service in Belarus. The Belarusian President later suggested to preserve these aircraft for some period of threat, irrespective of the cost.