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UPDF gets more jets
Posted Tuesday, October 18 2011 at 00:00
Kampala
The UPDF on Sunday received additional jet fighters from Russia as it emerged that one of those in the batch shipped in three months ago has been grounded due to engine failure.
A highly-placed military source told this newspaper that the Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft was marooned after it sucked a bird into the engine shortly after takeoff from Entebbe military airbase.
The September 8 incident infuriated the army that has asked the Civil Aviation Authority to explain how the watchdog’s Bird Hazard & Wildlife Control unit informed the airport’s Control Tower to clear the flight.
Witnesses said fire began sparking from one of the jet fighter’s engines following which, the crew was promptly alerted as emergency staff on the ground scrambled to evacuate other planes parked on the apron.
A Ugandan pilot, who apparently was test-flying the jet under instructions
by a Russian,
reportedly switched the engine on-and-off until he landed safely.
The affected jet, according to a source we cannot name due sensitivity of the matter, remained grounded for three weeks until Rosoboronexport,
the Russian state arms company supplying the Su-30 fighter planes, fixed its engine under an obtaining three-year warrant.
UPDF Airforce Spokesman, Capt. Kiconco Tabaro, yesterday said the “environmental hazard” incident had not strained relations between the military and CAA officials as alleged.
Mr Bbale Luyinda, the head of the Bird Hazard unit, was being targeted by investigators, a source said.
The incident, Capt. Tabaro said, was not a “major incident” at the airbase.
“Nothing serious happened to our jets but they are not immune to environmental hazards such as bird ingestion.
All the jets are in good shape and are flying well,” he added.
Government acquired the jets that can undertake combat missions within a 3,000 kilometre range, at $740 million (Shs1.8 trillion),
and central bank governor, Mr Emmanuel Mutebile, later revealed to UK’s Financial Times newspaper that
President Museveni forced him to raid foreign exchange reserves to pay for the military hardware.
CAA Spokesman Ignie Igunduura said he was not aware of the bird ingestion by the jet fighter but would not be surprised because Entebbe is a gazzetted bird sanctuary.
He said: “Bird hazard is a big challenge; we need to share the airspace with them but sometimes they interfere with our operations.
We can control but not completely eliminate their ingestion by planes.”
Confidentiality
In yesterday’s telephone interview, Capt. Tabaro declined to confirm arrival of the new consignment of Sunday.
“We don’t disclose the shipment of military equipment or movement of our personnel because their safety can be endangered,” he said.
A former jet fighter pilot said it was unlikely the military would be able to maintain the combat aircrafts properly within its current budget allocation.
He said it (the army) would not have bought the fuel guzzlers if it had no resources to maintain them.
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