Malaysia plans to acquire advanced fighter aircraft worth millions of dollars from either the United States or Russia as part of a defence modernisation program, Defence Minister Najib Razak said

today.

Najib declined to give details of the planned purchase but said that an agreement may be signed during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA 2003) defence exhibition in Malaysia in September.

"Some military and civilian aircraft could be considered to be signed during the exhibition. If it is a big deal, we are talking about billions of ringgit," he said.