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Defense Ministry needs vision for military procurement
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Final countdown: Air-ground officers at the Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Madiun, East Java, check locally made missiles for an F-16 jet fighter prior to an exercise. Indonesia aims to boost the national defense industry to meet its minimum essential force. (JP/Wahyoe Boediwardhana)
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mproving defense capability is more than about adding to the number of military platforms, but also about possessing the proficiency to utilize those cutting-edge tools. In addition, the Defense Ministry must play a greater role in guiding Indonesia’s procurements to ensure the efficacy of any additional platforms.
The recent skirmish with Chinese vessels around the Natuna Islands indicates the growing need for such a role by the ministry as guarding Indonesia’s vast maritime domain requires cooperation from various services, notably the Navy and the Air Force. A proper procurement vision from the ministry should be the basis for smooth inter-services military platforms interoperability. Furthermore, the Natuna case is a reminder for Indonesia to prioritize the rejuvenation of the Navy and the Air Force, since the two services possess the ability to reach the outer islands efficiently.
The government has announced the 2020 defense budget, which will increase by about 17.5 percent to Rp 131.2 trillion (US$9.4 billion) from this year’s mark. Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said the ministry would improve the Indonesian Military (TNI) and provide adequate funds for the purpose.
Meanwhile, the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) program, aiming to modernize Indonesia’s military platforms, is entering its third and final phase (2019 to 2024). However, as a recent article in The Jakarta Post noted, the rising defense budget only allocated a small percentage for research and development but designated about 40 percent for manpower. This would have several consequences.
First, Prabowo’s intention to make the Defense Ministry a revenue generator will give the ministry little power in guiding the procurement process. Prabowo aspires to treat defense as an investment, as if in line with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s intention of boosting Indonesia’s economy via trade and investment. Prabowo is also tasked to renegotiate the long-overdue jetfighter joint-production project with South Korea. Completing the deal will certainly provide Indonesia not only with sophisticated jetfighters, but also mastery of cutting-edge aircraft technology.
During the latest ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, the minister expressed an intention to strengthen defense ties with Malaysia, the United States and India. Prabowo also promoted local defense companies, particularly PT Pindad, to his ASEAN counterparts.
While such efforts may foster national defense industry development, it should not be the ministry’s primary objective; the Defense Ministry must play a guiding role in military platforms procurement. Ensuring interoperability between services is one example. The ministry can also help the TNI avoid a logistical nightmare for platform maintenance by synchronizing the acquisition plan and TNI’s logistical support capability. Assertion of this function by the Defense Ministry also signals an effort to establish firm civilian control over the military.
