I've not heard abt this, I wonder if anyone has.
This is according to news from iansa(international action network
on small arms)
It claims that in 2002 indonesia took delivery a batch of 76
challenger 1 MBT from uk.
source:
http://www.iansa.org/news/2002/mar2002/armstradereport.htm
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The international arms trade, details of which appear on pages
296¡V298 of The Military Balance 2001¡V2002, fell significantly in
2000, with the value of deliveries falling to $29.3bn from $37.2bn
in 1999. The Middle East continued to spend more on arms imports
than any other region, accounting for at least 40% of the world
market. Saudi Arabia, the largest Middle Eastern customer, took
deliveries worth $7.3bn; a slight increase over 1999. However, with
no significant new transfer agreements signed in 2001, and the
Saudis' declared intention to concentrate resources on personnel
and training, this figure is unlikely to increase in coming years.
Amongst other developing nations, China received deliveries worth
$1.6bn, Egypt $1.3bn and Taiwan $1.2bn.
The US once again accounted for nearly 50% of global arms
deliveries. Among its major exports in 2000 were 53 F-16 aircraft
and 350 armoured combat vehicles. The UK remained the
second-largest exporter, with 17.4% of deliveries, including a
batch of 76 Challenger 1 main battle tanks and the final five of 16
Hawk aircraft sold to Indonesia. Russia reported increased
deliveries in 2000. Its main customers remain China and India and
the delivery of destroyers and submarines made naval equipment
Russia's main export.
New orders rose in 2000 for the third year running, with arms
transfer agreements totalling $36.8bn. The US accounted for half of
all new orders, primarily as a result of the signing of a licensed
commercial agreement for the sale of 80 F-16 combat aircraft worth
$6.4bn to the United Arab Emirates and agreements to upgrade Apache
helicopters for both Egypt and Israel. Russia rose to second in the
rankings following a licensed production agreement with India,
valued in excess of $3.5bn, for 140 Su-30MKI combat aircraft, and a
separate agreement for the sale of 310 T-90 main battle tanks.
France was the leading European country in attracting new orders.
The sale of six Lafayette class frigates to Singapore pushed their
total sales agreements to $4.1bn.
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does this means the 70 odd PT-91MBT bought by malaysia is an
indirect tit-for-tat counter to the challenger1 using singapore as
the bogey man?
