Indonesia speeds up military modernization

JAKARTA - Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Wednesday that government planned to cut short the period set to develop the country's military.

"We will cut short the military empowerment period from three to two strategic plan (Renstra) periods. We have enough funds to finance the efforts to develop our military... ?Hopefully it can be settled in 2019 instead of 2024 we set earlier," Purnomo told a press conference in his office here.

The renstra is the Indonesian military's plan in developing its strategic force. Indonesia began massive development of Indonesian military in 2010 by procuring modern armaments, military vehicles and high technology instruments aimed at significantly improving its military might. All of those efforts were expected to be completed within 15 years.

The minister said the cutting short of the military development period would be the country's particular achievement, adding that it was fully endorsed by the government by allocating more funds to finance the efforts.

In the first renstra period ending in 2015, Indonesian government has allocated 150 trillion rupiah ($16.7 billion) to finance military equipment aimed at empowering the might of its air, army and navy forces.

Many kinds of modern armaments that Indonesia ordered from several producers had been delivered into the country. Among others Sukhoi Su 30 fighter jets, KT 1 Wongbee trainer/light attack planes from South Korea, Tucano anti-insurgency planes from Brazil and Leopard main battle tanks from Germany.

For the navy, Indonesia also purchased several new warships and submarines. It set up cooperation with South Korean producers in procuring submarines under transfer of technology scheme.

Indonesia also established a joint cooperation with South Korean producers in designing and producing the so-called 4.5 generation fighter jet codenamed KFX. The joint project with South Korea initiated in 2009, worth $2 billion. The initial prototypes of the plane is expected to roll-out from the production facility in South Korea by 2020.

Approximately 200 KFX fighter jets will be manufactured for both the Indonesian and South Korean Air Forces.

Indonesia is now expecting the delivery of remaining order on Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia and 24 F-16 C/D fighter jets from the US to reinforce its fleet this year. The largest country in Southeast Asia region had also allocated funds to procure AH 64 Apache helicopters for its army.