Here is one of seven retired Canberra Bombers of the Venezuelan AF at this Air base (Lt.Luis del Valle Garcia AB).That is seven of the 18 they had - the others are due south near the end of the runway. They might as well replace the Canberra's with some of the F-16's that President Reagan sold them years back - grounded now that there is a US embargo on parts, due to Chavez's support of Iran, etc.. .
Global Security's info (http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/venezuela/airforce.htm)
is that the F-16's are being replaced by Russian Su-30MK's :
'Hugo Chávez has embarked on a multi-billion-dollar weapons purchasing program that includes 24 modern Sukhoi SU-30MK2 fighter jets. Contracts were signed for 24 Su-30MK2 planes on 17 July 2006. At that time Sergei Ivanov said 30 Su-30 Flanker air-superiority fighters and 30 helicopters would be supplied to Venezuela. The Russian Su-30 Flankers will replace the Venezuelan contingent of US F-16 multi-role fighters. Washington imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country 15 May 2006.
On 28 September 2006, Russia arms exporter Rosoboronexport announced that in accordance to a 3.5 billion dollar arms deal signed with Venezuela, it planned to establish helicopter maintennance and upgrade facilities, as well as deliver 58 Mi-17B5 Hip H, Mi-35M Hind and Mi-26T Havoc helicopters. As part of the deal, Venezuela purchased 24 Su-30MK fighters for 1.5 billion dollars. Two of the fighters are expected by the end of 2006, and the rest are to be delivered by 2008.'
Now THAT is what Petro-Dollars are buying the impoverished Venezuelan People!
I wonder what nation President-For-Life Chavez
is going to FIGHT with those aircraft?
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Unless we study history we are destined to repeat it!