RI to focus on 7 weapon systems this year

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Wed, February 19 2014, 7:09 PM

Indonesia will focus on developing and producing seven weapon systems this year to modernize its arsenal and strengthen local defense industries to reduce the dependence on foreign suppliers.

The systems are submarines, jet fighters, medium tanks, missiles, radars, propellants and communications devices, said Defense Industry Policy Committee (KKIP) special staff for cooperation and institutional relations Silmy Karim on Wednesday.

Both the submarines and jet fighters are being developed as national programs with South Korea while the medium tank is being developed in cooperation with Turkish company FNSS Defense System.

While there is already missile cooperation with China, Silmy said the KKIP was still looking at partners for the local production of radar and communication devices.

“We will soon have a propellant factory that is important if we want to develop our own ammunition, missiles and rockets,” he said, without revealing which country the cooperation was being held with. (dhi)

The Jakarta Post