RI to purchase 20 used Nomads from Australia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Navy plans to buy a fleet of 20
\nNomad aircraft from Australia.<\/p>\n
Navy Chief Vice Admiral Arief Kushariadi said yesterday that
\nthe deal was struck in a talk between Indonesian Minister of
\nDefense and Security Gen. (ret) Edi Sudradjat and his Australian
\ncounterpart Ian McLachlan in Surabaya on Thursday.<\/p>\n
\"We will get a lot of aircraft,\" he said after attending a
\ncelebration of the 51st anniversary of the Marine Corps here
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Arief did not mention the exact number of aircraft to be
\npurchased but Antara quoted the Indonesian defense attache in
\nCanberra saying that Jakarta means to buy 20 Nomads.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian navy has operated Nomad N-22s since 1976 to
\npatrol exclusive economic zones.<\/p>\n
AFP quoted McLachlan as saying Thursday that the twin
\nturboprop aircraft were \"retired from the Australian Defense
\nForces service in 1995 after they became unsuitable for continued
\nmilitary use.\"<\/p>\n
McLahlan said the sale was subject to final price negotiations
\nand a final inspection of the aircraft, which are in storage at
\nthe army's aviation center at Oakey in the Australian state of
\nQueensland.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is interested in the aircraft for maritime
\nsurveillance, a role in which it already uses 18 Nomad aircraft
\nacquired from Australia in the 1970s,\" he said.<\/p>\n
According to the Australian minister, maritime surveillance
\nwas \"well within\" the approved performance limitations of the
\nNomad aircraft \"in contrast to the demanding role the aircraft
\nhad in the ADF (Australian Defense Forces),\" McLachlan said.<\/p>\n
Arief said the navy plans to recruit 3,000 more personnel to
\nthe elite Marine Corps to strengthen the navy.<\/p>\n
\"We hope we will be able to dispatch three battalions of
\nlanding teams in three trouble spots at the same time,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that the navy will selecting the 3,000 personnel from
\nnavy members in the provinces. \"Our war ships have set sail to
\nfetch them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 3,000 marines are to replace retiring marines, he said. In
\naddition the navy will recruit another 2,500 to be posted in
\nvarious units.<\/p>\n
Arief also reported that as President Soeharto recently
\nrequested, the navy has prepared a ship to take home Indonesian
\nworkers who work illegally in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\"The ship is ready. We are waiting for orders to leave for
\nMalaysia,\" he said. He said the navy also makes its ships
\navailable to ferry people and goods between Sumatra and Java in
\nemergencies. (pan)<\/p>",
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