President Hugo Chávez' government has made "significant progress" in negotiations with France and Russia to buy 10 multi-purpose helicopters for the Military Aviation. The talks are intended to purchase Superpumas, Cougars, MI-28s and MI-17s.

Aviation commander Brigadier General Luis José Berroterán Acosta said they needed to revamp the aviation with fighter and training aircraft, but provided no further details.

"We have to update some systems, particularly for border monitoring purposes. I cannot say what equipment we have considered. When we are certain of what the State is going to purchase, we will let you know."

Simultaneously, four Sukhoi-30 warplanes are expected to arrive in Venezuela by year's end, totaling 16 Sukhoi-30 in the country. The remaining eight -to total a fleet of 24 warplanes Venezuela bought from Russia in 2006- are arriving in the country in 2008.

Further, seven radars for the Military Aviation are under production.

In Venezuela, there is a bill pending for approval on the control of air space providing for the possibility to knock down any unidentified airplanes that may enter the Venezuela air space and refuse to land.