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Economic slowdown hinders weaponry system development
The Indonesian Military (TNI) will not ask the government to modernize the countryâs weaponry systems amid the current economic slowdown
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T
he Indonesian Military (TNI) will not ask the government to modernize the country's weaponry systems amid the current economic slowdown.
TNI commander Gen. Moeldoko said on Tuesday at a breaking-of-the-fast gathering with President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, Vice President Jusuf Kalla and several ministers at the TNI headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, that the military was in immediate need of scrapping all old arsenal, including aging aircraft, but it could understand the economic crisis affecting the country.
'We want defense power system development on one side, but we are also aware of the state's [economic] constraints,' he said as quoted by kompas.com.
Moeldoko revealed recently that the TNI was in need of Rp 120 trillion (US$8.99 billion) to modernize its weaponry systems.
The President said the government was committed to increasing the defense budget to modernize weaponry systems following a recent Hercules C-130 tragedy that killed 141 people, including crew members, in Medan, North Sumatra. The Air Force has temporarily grounded all old Hercules C-130 aircraft until a thorough investigation into the tragedy is completed.
Moeldoko, however, said that economic conditions would never discourage the TNI and its soldiers in carrying out their main tasks of defense and security.
He said the TNI would continue with its tasks to maintain the political stability needed to carry out economic development.
'All this is done to secure development. Representing all soldiers, I thank the President, the Vice President and the ministers who have shown their appreciation to the TNI,' he said. (rms)(+++)
