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The Venezuelan Air Force will buy 18 K-8 trainer jets from China, rather that the 24 aircrafts President Hugo Chávez had previously announced, to train pilots, said on Thursday General Luis Berroterán Acosta, the commander of the Bolivarian Air Force. 

"The contract has been signed and the jet trainers are on the production line in China. In a short time, I will be able to disclose the exact arrival date of the first K-8 shipment," said Berroterán at a press conference on the occasion of the 88th anniversary of the creation of the military aviation.

The high-ranking military officer explained that the aircraft has the capacity to transport weapons, carry bombs, rockets and shoot machine guns.

Berroterán clarified that the Venezuelan Air Force will not participate in the joint maneuvers with Russia, since the Russian Army is upgrading the aircraft systems which would be used in the military exercises.

He announced that during the rest of the year, the Air Force would not buy additional weapons.