The UK Government has suspended arms export licences to Indonesia, blocking the delivery of the last six British Aerospace Hawk Mk209s to the Indonesian air force, because of the crisis in East Timor. "All deliveries from 11 September have been suspended, and [the aircraft] will not be released until further notice," says the company.
The embargo - initially declared for four months - came as three Hawks were en route for delivery. These aircraft were delayed in Thailand in mid-September, and were finally delivered to Indonesia on 23 September.
Reports that the delay resulted from intervention by UK foreign secretary Robin Cook have been denied and attributed to pilot illness instead.
UK Government officials declared the three aircraft were legally Indonesian property after they left UK territory. BAe has delivered over 40 Hawks to Indonesia, causing controversy because of the country's human rights record in East Timor.
Source: Flight International