New chief commands air defense

New chief commands air defense

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung installed yesterday Rear Marshal Irawan Saleh as the new chief of the National Air Defense Command (Kohanudnas) replacing Rear Marshal F.X. Suyitno.

In the speech at the transfer ceremony at Kohanudnas Headquarters, East Jakarta, Feisal stressed the need for the command to master the new, modern technology in air warfare in order to be able protect Indonesia's sovereignty.

Although the command falls under the Air Force, its chief is directly responsible to the Armed Forces (ABRI) chief. The command has access to all the air bases throughout Indonesia.

Irawan Saleh, the new chief, is a 1968 graduate of the ABRI Academy (AKABRI). He was previously deputy of the Air Force's Education Institute in Surabaya. His predecessor, Soeyitno, a 1965 AKABRI graduate, has been promoted as the Air Force's deputy chief of staff for personnel.

The transfer of duty, part of an on-going reshuffle at ABRI's top leadership, followed a successful anti-air raid joint exercise involving the Army, the Air Force and the Navy in Dumai, Riau, last week.

During the war games, the forces succeeded in defending a vital oil refinery plant owned by the state oil company Pertamina. (rms)