KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 27 -- Malaysia is close to sealing a deal for the sale of 35 McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk fighter bombers, Defense Minister Najib Tun Razak said Thursday. He said an American arms dealer had been identified and the purchase is expected to be concluded soon.
He declined to name the buyer but said the aircrafts would be sold direct and not to a third party. The 35 Skyhawks, among the 88 bought from the U.S. Navy in 1980 for less than $1 million each, are now mothballed at the U.S. Air Force Davis Monthan base in Tucson, Arizona. Malaysia must first gain approval from the U.S. Congress approval before the U.S.-made aircraft can be resold. 'We are sorting it out now,' Najib said adding that a few memos regarding the approval were sent by the ministry via the U.S. embassy here but so far there has been no green light from the U.S. Congress. The Royal Malaysian Air Force took delivery of 53 Skyhawks between 1982 and 1985. Eight of the problem-ridden aircraft have crashed, killing a pilot, while another disappeared with its pilot in the South China Sea. After a 10-year service, the Skyhawks were decommissioned on June 1. Malaysia is replacing them with the recent purchase of 18 MIG-29s, eight FA-18-D Hornets and 28 British Hawks.
