JAKARTA, Jan 1, 2022 (Jakarta Post/ANN): Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto held a string of meetings with chiefs of staff from the Indonesian Military (TNI) earlier this week to discuss plans to modernise the country’s primary weaponry system.
Recently, the minister held a meeting with Army chief of staff Gen. Dudung Abdurachman to discuss plans on modernizing the Army’s defense equipment.
“Defense Minister Prabowo discussed with the Army chiefs of staff and his aides on plans to modernize the Army’s weaponry system as well as the Army’s readiness to defend Indonesia’s sovereignty,” read a statement issued by the ministry’s public relations bureau.
The meeting came after Prabowo welcomed Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo last Tuesday (Dec 28), during which strengthening the air force’s military capability and readiness were raised.
Following the meeting, Fadjar told reporters on Wednesday that the country had opted to back out of a US$1.14 billion deal to purchase Russian-made fighter jet Sukhoi Su-35, and instead had narrowed its choice to United States-made F-15 and French-made Rafale.
“Regarding the Sukhoi Su-35, with a heavy heart, we have abandoned that plan as the development of air defense is very dependent on the budget,” Fadjar said as quoted by kompas.id.
Since his appointment in 2019, Prabowo has considered strengthening Indonesia’s external defense capabilities one of the objectives of his mandate.
During his first 18 months in the role, he conducted 20 foreign visits to 14 countries in a bid to formulate a 25-year defense acquisition plan.
According to a draft presidential decree that circulated in June, the Indonesian government planned to spend $125 billion in the next three years to upgrade and modernise its military arsenal.
Critics have said the spending proposal, which was expected to be exclusively financed through foreign loans that must be fully disbursed by 2024, came at a particularly sensitive time as the country’s economy was still struggling to recover to the pre-pandemic level.
In addition, the ministry has recently reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining its existing defense systems in a bid to support the military to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.
This would be done by "maximising the use of the defense budget for the procurement and maintenance," Deputy Defense Minister M. Herindra said in a statement during the handover ceremony of the recently-overhauled US-made Bell helicopters.
"It must be ensured that the military’s defense equipment uses high technology, as a consequence of the dynamics of developments in the strategic environment," he said. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
