Jakarta - Indonesia on Wednesday received six Russian-made Mi-17-V combat helicopters as part of the country's effort to improve its existing armaments.

After a lengthy process, the six fully armed combat helicopters, ordered in 2003, arrived at the Indonesian Navy's airbase in East Java at Suarabaya, the state-run Antara news agency reported.

Rear Marshal Eris Heriyanto, director-general for defence facilities at the Indonesian Defence Ministry, said after signing notes on the helicopters' delivery that the three combat choppers would be used by the army's Aviation Centre.

The helicopter procurement process was marred by a corruption scandal which caused the state to lose around 3.24 million dollars.

However, the government went ahead with the purchase, worth around 21.6 million dollars, as the corruption case was being settled in court.

A senior Indonesian air force official had said recently that the country is also expected to receive three Russian-made Sukhoi jet fighters later this year to back up the country's existing warplanes.

Indonesia shifted its shopping for military equipment away from the United States, to sellers including Russia, after Washington imposed an arms sale embargo on Jakarta in the early 1990s.

The US in 1992 restricted arms sales and most American training for Indonesia, citing human rights abuses. In the late 1990s, Washington formally cut its military relations with Jakarta, after a rampage by an army-backed militia in what was then East Timor province.

However, some counter-terrorism training was resumed after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and other targets. (dpa)