Armed Forces will organize seven-day military exhibition

JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) will hold a week-long military exhibition at the Jakarta Fairground in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, from Sept. 22 to Sept. 28.

The exhibition, the first since ABRI's establishment, will display both old and modern military equipment belonging to the Army, Navy, Air Force and the National Police, Maj. Gen. Bambang Soembodo, head of the organizing committee, said yesterday.

During the exhibition, which is being held in conjunction with ABRI's golden anniversary, the Army will display a wide variety of weapons, including AMX-13 tanks, 150-LUS panzers and ground-to-air Rapier missiles, while the Navy and Air Force will display their military equipment via videos.

"The National Police will demonstrate its new, simpler procedure for the issuance of driving licenses and display equipment used in investigations," he said.

Bambang, who is also an assistant to ABRI's chief of general affairs, said that a number of local and foreign companies, supplying ABRI with military equipment, will also participate in the exhibition.

Local companies will be represented by the Bandung-based PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara, the Surabaya-based vessel manufacturing company PT PAL and the Bandung-based weapon company PT Pindad. Foreign firms will come from Singapore, South Korea, Canada, France, the United States, Australia, Britain and Sweden.

Bambang said that the seven-day exhibition will be officially opened by Minister of Defense and Security Gen. (ret) Edi Sudrajat on Sept. 22 and closed by ABRI Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung on Sept. 28.

"The public are expected to visit the exhibition," he said. (rms)