Jakarta (ANTARA) - Army Chief of Staff General Agus Subiyanto said he is planning to integrate the Indonesian Defense Forces' (TNI’s) primary weapons system (Alutsista) using a network-centric warfare system (NCW) to improve national defense, including in the new capital (IKN) Nusantara.

"We need an integrated network-based system from various advantages of our defense equipment, from all three TNI lines," he informed during a fit and proper test for his TNI commander candidacy in Jakarta on Monday.

According to Subiyanto, the sole candidate for the post of TNI commander, there is a need for such integration in view of the threat of modern warfare and advances in defense equipment technology.

He explained that NCW is a type of modern warfare-supporting system that uses real-time data and communication networks to connect headquarters/command centers with combat units.

Since 2021, the TNI has been trying to develop infrastructure to anticipate network-based warfare, while the Indonesian Navy, in the first quarter of 2023, began preparing tools and human resources (HR) to anticipate network-centric warfare, he informed.

The general said that the system integration for defense equipment would also be implemented in Indonesia's border and outermost areas.

In addition, Subiyanto is aiming to accelerate the modernization of defense equipment, including by increasing the use of artificial intelligence (AI).ß

"AI utilization must be carried out in a programmed manner and oriented toward an integrated-based system to ensure interoperability across all TNI lines in order to increase the effectiveness of achieving the TNI's main duties," he explained.

He noted that the use of AI could also help in responding to the threat of modern warfare. Therefore, in the future, the TNI must strengthen unmanned technology.

"Nowadays, the war is based on cyber (capability) and (carried out) with drones. We will develop it at the TNI. We already have a cyber troop and we will optimize their work," he said.

President Joko Widodo proposed General Subiyanto as the sole candidate for the post of TNI commander to the House of Representatives (DPR) on October 30, 2023.

As part of his candidacy, Subiyanto underwent a fit and proper test with Commission I of the DPR for approximately two hours. Commission I followed it up with a factual verification at Subiyanto's private residence in East Jakarta.

After the fit and proper test, Commission I announced that it had approved the nomination of General Subiyanto as TNI commander.

In the same decision, the commission also approved the honorable dismissal of Admiral Yudo Margono as TNI commander.

Admiral Margono will retire on November 26, when he turns 58.

Related news: Modernization of TNI's weapon should be done wisely: President
Related news: Indonesia to continue defence industry cooperation with Japan
​​​​​​​








Translator: Genta Tenri, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023