Indonesia needs more warships

Indonesia needs more warships

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia needs to build up its fleet of
warships if it is to protect its vast sea territory, Armed Forces
Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung says.

The 39 corvettes, frigates and tank landing ships recently
purchased from Germany are barely sufficient to protect
Indonesia's territorial sovereignty, two-thirds of which is in
water mass, Feisal was quoted by the Antara news agency as
saying.

He was speaking at the launching of the Navy's latest corvette
named KRI Lambung Mangkurat in the Trisakti port in Banjarmasin,
South Kalimantan, on Thursday.

Feisal said budgetary constraints will dictate Indonesia
having to make do with its current naval strength to protect its
sovereignty and uphold and enforce maritime laws.

It is up to the Indonesian Navy as to how it will effectively
and efficiently deploy its warships, he said.

"With the arrival of 39 warships (from Germany), the Navy
should be sufficiently strong," he said, adding that additional
vessels would be purchased when state funds permit.

KRI Lambung Mangkurat, named after a legendary 15th century
South Kalimantan prince, is a Parchim type corvette. It is
75.04 meters in length and 9.75 meters in width. Built in 1983,
the ship was renovated and refitted before it was delivered to
Indonesia.

The corvette is the latest of the 39 warships that are
currently being delivered from Germany to Indonesia.

They come from a former East German arsenal.

The purchase, coordinated by State Minister of Research and
Technology B.J. Habibie, at once sparked a controversy over its
exorbitant total cost, which exceeded US$1 billion.

The government later agreed to slash the budget, cutting back
on arms and the naval base development program.

Feisal in his speech said that the Indonesian military is
resolute in its drive to modernize the force, and to heighten its
professionalism, effectiveness and efficiency.

The procurement of the 39 warships from Germany is part of
that program, he added. (emb)