TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Army thinking local to modernize weapons system
Leading the charge: Personnel from the Indonesian Army are dispatched from a landing craft operated by the Army at Ancol Beach on Tuesday
Change Size
Leading the charge: Personnel from the Indonesian Army are dispatched from a landing craft operated by the Army at Ancol Beach on Tuesday. The landing craft was designed by the Army in collaboration with engineers from the 10 November Institute of Technology (ITS) and was launched on Tuesday. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama) (ITS) and was launched on Tuesday. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
L
span class="inline inline-none">Leading the charge: Personnel from the Indonesian Army are dispatched from a landing craft operated by the Army at Ancol Beach on Tuesday. The landing craft was designed by the Army in collaboration with engineers from the 10 November Institute of Technology (ITS) and was launched on Tuesday. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
The Indonesian Army is planning to transform its primary weapons defense system through increased collaboration with local universities and homegrown military industries.
Army chief of staff Gen. Budiman said that the plan, which will cover 2015 through 2019, had been approved by the government and the House of Representatives.
'We have stated in our work plan submitted to the House that more funds in our budget will be allocated for the weapons system,' he said at a press conference following the unveiling of a speedboat from the project at Ancol Beach in North Jakarta on Tuesday.
Budiman said upgrading the weapons system was greatly important as the trend in battle and warfare was to rely more on higher-speed, more accurate and better-measured weaponry.
Budiman said the House approved a total budget of Rp 36 trillion (US$3.09 billion) for the Army this year. A large portion of the budget, 72 percent, will go toward salaries. Around 17-18 percent is allocated for operations and maintenance and 9 percent for weaponry and equipment.
'We are using the 9 percent, which means around Rp 3.5 trillion, to fund the weapons system and all research needed for that,' he said.
To prevent graft and wasteful spending in the modernization program, Budiman said he had asked generals and high-ranking officers in the Army to sign an integrity pact to ensure that all procurement and research programs for the weapons system would be transparent and efficient.
On Tuesday, the Army unveiled a new model of speedboat called the 'Komando', built in collaboration with a group of technicians and experts from local universities, including Surya University, a campus established by prominent Indonesian scientist Yohannes Surya.
Other universities involved in the project are the Surabaya-based 10 November Institute of Technology (ITS), Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and the Semarang, Central Java-based University of Diponegoro (UNDIP). The Army also invited PT KKB, PT Tesco Indomaritim and PT Dok and Perkapalan Kodja Bahari Galangan IV to manufacture the boats.
Budiman said that as of now, the Army and its partners had built two of the speedboats, but planned to have another eight this year. He said that one of the boats cost Rp 12 billion, cheaper than buying from abroad.
'Finland manufactures the same type of speedboat and it costs Rp 24 billion, so it's far cheaper if we build them by ourselves,' he said.
Budiman said the Army would use the speedboats to patrol border areas such as Natuna, Bangka Belitung, Aceh and East Nusa Tenggara.
The 'Komando' speedboats can be operated on the high sea, coastlines, rivers and swamp areas, and have a capacity of 31 passengers and three crewmembers. 'Currently, the boats can only reach a maximum of 35 knots, but we are developing newer ones that can reach 45 knots,' he added.
Also in the pipeline are programs to build laser guns, remote weapon systems, UAV/Super Drone, Integrated Optronic Defense System, Gyrocopter, Multi Rotor and Flapping Bird.
Another piece of sophisticated equipment in development by the Army and its contractors is the nanosatellite, which can be used for land-imaging and monitoring. 'We plan to export more of our locally made weapons and equipment, but currently we are focusing on research and improving capability,' Budiman said. (gda)
