Navy to buy two submarines<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The government is planning to purchase two submarines within the
\nnext ten years as part of a US$1.95-billion defense project for
\nthe country's impoverished Navy, an official says.<\/p>\n
Director General for Defense Strength in the Ministry of
\nDefense Rear Marshal Lambertus Siloy told House of
\nRepresentatives Commission I for defense that each submarine
\nwould cost about US$220 million.<\/p>\n
"The first submarine will be purchased in 2005 and the second
\nin 2009," Siloy said.<\/p>\n
Currently, Indonesia's Navy has only 117 ships, including two
\nsubmarines and 44 warships.<\/p>\n
Lambertus revealed that the Navy would also purchase four
\nguided-missile destroyers at a cost of about $145 million each.
\nThe warships would be purchased in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013.<\/p>\n
The Navy will also purchase two minesweepers in 2007 and 2011.<\/p>\n
"Each warship will cost $75 million," he said, adding that the
\nNavy would also purchase French-made Exocet missiles at a cost of
\n$140 million.<\/p>\n
Siloy, however, did not reveal from where the country would
\npurchase the military equipment.<\/p>\n
Indonesia's traditional arms suppliers, notably the U.S. and
\nits ally the UK, have imposed a military embargo on the sale of
\nnew military equipment and spare parts to the country due to its
\nfailure to stop a bloody rampage by pro-Jakarta militias in East
\nTimor in 1999.<\/p>\n
The embargo, which has forced the Indonesian Military (TNI) to
\nground many of its warplanes and warships, prompted the country
\nto turn to Russia for new military equipment.<\/p>\n
Indonesia recently took delivery of two Sukhoi-27 and two
\nSukhoi-30 warplanes, as well as two Mi-35 assault helicopters it
\nbought under a $192.6-million countertrade deal signed with
\nRussia in April this year.<\/p>\n
Defense ministry director for defense system planning Rear
\nMarshal Mas Wijaya, meanwhile, said the condition of the Navy's
\ndefense equipment had been deteriorating in recent years.<\/p>\n
"We are now repairing the submarine KRI Cakra under an export
\ncredit facility from Korea," Wijaya told the hearing.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the defense ministry Rear
\nMarshal Suprihadi said most of TNI's military equipment was
\nbetween 20 years old and 40 years old.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he said, TNI had allocated Rp 3.6 trillion ($423
\nmillion) in the 2004 budget for the purchase of military spare
\nparts and equipment.<\/p>\n
Legislators RK Sembiring Meliala and A.M. Luthfi, respectively
\nfrom the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
\nand Reform factions, said that the poor state of the Navy was not
\na new story.<\/p>\n
"We knew it and we know one submarine costs that much money.
\nThat's why we can only repair old submarines," Sembiring told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
During the hearing, the ministry's secretariat and the House
\ndefense commission agreed to separate the military's routine
\nbudget from its development budget.<\/p>\n
The routine budget consists of state expenditure for the
\nsalaries of personnel, while the development budget is used,
\namong others things, to purchase military equipment.<\/p>\n
The move was taken to avoid creating the impression that
\ndefense expenditure was too high.<\/p>\n
Navy Fleet<\/p>\n
2 submarines<\/p>\n
14 warships<\/p>\n
57 patrol boats<\/p>\n
44 support vessels<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/navy-to-buy-two-submarines-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }