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fter a delay of more than a year, the House of Representatives has finally agreed to support the government in its purchase 100 Leopard main battle tanks (MBT) from Germany.

The discussions between the government and lawmakers have progressed after a decision was made to purchase the tanks from Germany, the nation that manufactured the equipment, and not through the Netherlands.

There was support for the tanks in the House of Representative if they were purchased directly from Germany. Fifteen of the tanks are slated to be stationed on the nation’s land border with Malaysia in Kalimantan by October. The remaining 85 tanks are to be delivered by 2014.

Even though the procurement seems to be running smoothly, the debate continues. Critics doubt the urgency and necessity of spending US$280 million on the equipment. The Leopard MBT is one of the most expensive and the most powerful tanks in the world. The tanks require a large amount of effort and money to maintain and operate.

Deploying 100 Leopards means the nation will spend a vast amount to keep the tanks in the field to maintain our reputation as a regional power. It should be noted as well that the costs of maintaining the armor will be even higher, due to uncertainties stemming from the ongoing global economic slowdown. Nonetheless, it is believed that the government has done its homework on the procurements. The question remains: is it a wise decision to
purchase the tanks now?

It is unavoidable that globalization has led us to face many challenges in security and defense. The emergence of new and changing threats and a dependency on the so-called military technology revolution have generated daunting challenges for every nation’s defense ministry and general staff.

It is legitimate for every country in the world to keep updating and modernizing its own military to cope with such challenges. In other words, it is necessary for nations to always be ready for dynamic situations in upcoming years.

Nevertheless, the attempt to optimize Indonesia’s military capability has to be done in accordance with the limitations on the nation’s budget and the priorities of the nation’s defense strategy, as well.

Our nation’s defense planners should be aware of the track record of the Leopard tanks, and of all new weapons systems envisioned for purchase, and the risks of their procurements over time.

In other words, the government’s decision to purchase military equipment should consider initial procurement costs and lifetime operational costs.

Indonesia is an archipelago in a strategic position in the Asia-Pacific region. Seventy percent of our territory is open water, which means that the Indonesian Military (TNI) needs more boats and ships – not tanks – to secure our territorial integrity. Nevertheless, over time, we have faced and will face classical challenges along our land borders.

The Indonesian-Malaysian land border in Kalimantan, for example, presents a challenge to defense planners. Our country is not in a strong military position to secure the border.

Incidents of trespassing have occurred several times and now require attention to resolve.

Aware of the incursions, the Defense Ministry decided to deploy the new Leopard tanks in that area. Even though the decision to buy main battle tanks was not only done to secure the nation’s borders, it is a good sign that the government is taking the protection of the nation’s territorial integrity more seriously.

However, Indonesia needs to upgrade its military equipment to meet the TNI’s daily patrolling needs. Again, is a main battle tank the best or the only option in this case? Is our infrastructure and terrain suitable for armor operations? Can our local defense manufacturers and strategic industries build tanks here, in Indonesia?

The controversy over the Leopard procurement is evidence that defense is not a public good in our country. What is happening at the moment is natural, due to skepticism on the government’s management of defense.

Critics say that the decision was run by the political elites or groups for their benefit or interests.

Transparency and accountability are fundamental in procurements. Moreover, in the decision-making process, the government should be open to gain popular consensus, as shaped by academics, activists and experts. In addition, the government should support and develop our local defense industry to meet our needs. By evincing such strong political will, local defense manufacturers will improve.

The procurement has been decided upon by the government and supported by the House. Now what the government can do is deliver an explanation why the procurement was made. If the purchase will be made for the sake of our national resilience and sovereignty, then the people must be convinced.

The writer is a lecturer in strategic studies at the international relations department of Parahyangan Catholic University in Bandung.