Strong synergy needed to develop modern defense industry<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
In view of the limited defense budget, the government and the
\nmilitary should form a strong synergy with research centers,
\nuniversities and financial institutions to build a modern defense
\nindustry subordinate to the country's national defense system,
\nmilitary and defense experts say.<\/p>\n
According to the experts, the government has to show a strong
\ncommitment to gradually raising the defense budget and pursuing
\nself-sufficiency in its arsenal supply, while universities and
\nresearch centers have to play their own roles in conduct research
\nin developing military technology.<\/p>\n
Prof. Said D. Jenie of the Ministry of Research and Technology
\nsaid that the Indonesian Military (TNI) had listed certain
\ntechnology and weaponry that needed to be built in cooperation
\nwith non-department government agencies (LPNDs) and their
\nresearch centers.<\/p>\n
\"The TNI's need for military equipment in strategic
\nintelligence, defense, security and logistical matters is within
\nthe domain of LPNDs' capability and, therefore, close cooperation
\nbetween the relevant parties should be enhanced to achieve self-
\nsufficiency in the defense field,\" he said in his paper presented
\nduring a round-table discussion on the defense industry here on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who officially opened the
\ndiscussion, expressed his commitment to increasing defense
\nspending to between 3 percent and 5 percent of gross domestic
\nproduct (GDP) compared to the current 1 percent in a bid to build
\na modern defense force.<\/p>\n
Jenie explained that the country's LPNDs -- Indonesian
\nInstitute of Sciences (LIPI), National Aeronautics and Aerospace
\nAgency (Lapan), National Atomic Agency (Batan), National Agency
\nfor Research and Application of Technology (BPPT), Meteorology
\nand Geophysics Agency (BMG) and TNI's research centers -- had
\ntheir own fields of expertise in research, development,
\nengineering and operations.<\/p>\n
Budhi Santoso, president of state-owned arms manufacturer PT
\nPindad in Bandung, West Java, said that to be realistic in terms
\nof global weaponry systems development and the country's large
\nterritory and potential threats, the time has come for the
\ncountry to start developing nuclear and missile technology in its
\ndefense system through transfer of technology, forward (or
\nclassical) engineering, or reverse engineering.<\/p>\n
\"Research centers, defense industries and universities should
\nform three main groups in developing missile technology. If
\nIndonesia cannot obtain the technology through bilateral
\ncooperation with other countries, we can do it through forward
\nengineering or reverse engineering,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that Pindad, state-owned electronic firm PT LEN,
\nBandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and the Army have studied
\nrapier missile technology by dismantling a rapier missile.<\/p>\n
D. Sasongko, dean of ITB's industrial technology department
\nsaid ITB, the University of Indonesia in Jakarta and Gadjahmada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta had qualified human resources that could
\nbe involved in conducting research and experiments in developing
\nthe modern industry.<\/p>\n
ITB, for example has many experts in nuclear technology,
\naeronautical engineering, biotechnology and remote sensing
\ntechnology while UI has many experts in defense studies.<\/p>\n
I Dewa Putu Rai, deputy chief of the National Planning and
\nDevelopment Board (Bappenas), called on commercial banks to help
\nfinance research programs in military technology and provide
\ncredit to defense industries to produce the necessary military
\nequipment and machinery.<\/p>\n
\"The country should no longer depend on the export credit in
\narms purchases because such a mechanism is no longer adequate in
\nmeeting the demand for military equipment it needs at present,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
In addition, the government also plans to regroup all military
\nbusiness entities into a major holding company to make them more
\nprofitable in a bid to enable the military to cover its annual
\nroutine expenditure and improve its personnel's social welfare,
\nwho number 500,000.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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