Analysts back move to cut dependence on U.S. weaponry

Analysts back move to cut dependence on U.S. weaponry

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Defense analysts have thrown their support behind government
moves to look for other arms suppliers in a bid to cut its
dependence on the United States, which has imposed a military
embargo on the country since 1991.

"It will be easier to procure arms from Russia, than to woo
the U.S. Congress to allow us to repair our F-16 planes," Juwono
Sudarsono told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Some of Indonesia's U.S.-made fighter planes have been
grounded because of difficulties in purchasing spare parts
incurred by the military embargo. The embargo was placed on
Indonesia following the Santa Cruz incident in 1991, in which
Indonesian troops opened fire on a group of East Timorese
protesters, killing dozens of civilians.

Although bilateral relations between the two countries have
improved since Indonesia joined the U.S.-led global war against
terrorism, especially after the police demonstrated their strong
resolve in investigating the Bali terrorist attacks of Oct. 12,
2002, there have been no indications that the U.S. would ease its
military embargo against Indonesia.

According to Yuwono, who was formerly minister of defense,
there would be a slight difficulty in the maintenance and
repairing of the new arms from Russia, as the country's military
had been dependent on U.S. arms for almost three decades.

"However, it can be taken care of, because many western
companies are now familiar with Russian weaponry," Juwono said.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri left for Romania on Thursday
evening on the first leg of her three-nation tour, which would
also take her to Russia and Poland.

In Russia, Megawati, who is traveling with Indonesian Military
(TNI) Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, is expected to sign a
number of memoranda of understanding, including one on the
purchase of four warplanes -- two Sukhoi 27 and two Sukhoi 30.

Endriartono said on Thursday that the presidential entourage
would look into the possibility of purchasing the Sukhoi 27 jet
fighter and Mi-35 technical helicopter.

"The jet fighter will be for the Air Force, while the
helicopter will be for the Army," Endriartono said.

He admitted that it would take some time to shift from using
U.S.-made weapons to Russian-made arms. However, he stressed that
it had to be done because of the immediate need for the military
to improve its capabilities.

"Of course, it (the shift in weaponry) will be made gradually,
because we cannot afford to change everything at the same time,"
Endriartono remarked.

Juwono said he suspected TNI has contacted the Malaysian
Air Force, which currently uses the Sukhoi jet fighters, to know
more on the maintenance of the planes.

"However, with the current budget constraint, it is still
questionable whether Russia could agree with the purchase," he
said.

"I suspect that there will be a counter trade, maybe with the
oil agreement that the two countries might also sign," Juwono
said.

Megawati will arrive in Russia on Sunday, and is expected to
sign a contract in Moscow for four Russian Sukhoi fighter planes,
the Vedomosti business daily reported.

The contract, for four SU-27 jets, is worth between US$100
million to US$120 million, and will be signed during the visit,
the newspaper quoted an industry source as saying.

According to a source at the Russian military-industrial
complex as quoted by Interfax news agency, Indonesia will place
an order for two Sukhoi-27 and two Sukhoi-30.

During her trip to Russia, Megawati will also visit a Sukhoi
testing base outside Moscow, Interfax added.