J

AKARTA: The Defense Ministry and the Agency for the Assessment and Application Technology (BPPT) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding on technology research and development to support state defense.

The MoU was signed by Defense Ministry secretary-general vice marshal Eris Herryanto and BPPT chief Marzan Aziz Iskandar at the Defense Ministry. Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Research and Technology Minister Suharna Surapranata witnessed the MoU signing.

Marzan said the MoU would improve the BPPT’s knowledge of the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) needs in addition to the understanding forged during existing collaborations in various programs such as the development of blast effect practice bombs, parachutes, armored vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Purnomo said the MoU would increase the use of local products in domestically made weapons used by the TNI, such as the development of the RHan-122 defense rocket for multiple launch rocket systems and remotely piloted vehicles.

Marzan said the BPPT was also involved in the KFX joint fighter project with South Korea. — JP