Ecuador To Purchase
Warplanes To Bolster
Border Security
Ecuador's armed forces
plan to buy warplanes,
new radar and other
equipment to beef up the
country's capability of
handling emergency
problems, Defense
Minister Javier Ponce
said Wednesday.
Ponce said the
government is buying
multi-purpose light
military jets, unmanned
aircraft and new radar
systems with the total
investment of 400
million U.S. dollars.
Of the amount, 270
million dollars will be
used to buy 24 Super
Tucano planes made by
Brazilian aircraft
manufacturer Embraer.
Other funds will be used
to buy six Israeli-made
unmanned aircraft and a
batch of radar and
telecommunications
equipment.
The defense minister
said Ecuador's armed
forces also plan to buy
air defense missiles and
a netted radar system in
batches; and to build
three radar stations to
create coverage for the
whole country.
Ecuador has also bought
two light frigates from
Chile for 24 million
dollars.
Ponce said he hopes
Ecuador's neighbors
would not worry about
the military
reinforcement, saying
neither Colombia nor
Chile are considered a
national security
threat.
According to the
minister, Ecuador must
protect itself from
Revolutionary Armed
Forces of Colombia (FARC)
rebels and illegal drug
traffickers on the
border with Colombia.
Ecuador broke off
diplomatic relations
with Colombia following
the latter's bombing
raid on a FARC camp in
Ecuadorian territory on
March 1.
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