If they (the tanks) can be bought Indonesia will be able to keep its strength equal to that of neighboring countries,"Magelang, C Java (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Army (TNI AD) will receive budget allocations of Rp14 trillion from the government to procure main armament system (alutsista), Army Chief of Staff General Pramono Edhie Wibowo said.
The amount was agreed upon at a limited cabinet session with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recently, he said following a function to inaugurate the Army`s 166 retired high-ranking officers at the Military Academy here on Friday.
Among the high-ranking officers who have entered retirement are General (ret) Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo, General (ret) Djoko Santoso, and General (ret) George Toissuta.
Pramono said the budget funds would be used among others to purchase tanks, rockets, cannons, and helicopters.
To procure the main armament system, the Army had assigned the deputy Army chief of staff to see for himself a weaponry plant in Europe, along with a team of the Defense Ministry, he said.
Among the armaments to be bought were main battle tanks which would be the country`s first ever such tanks to procure. "If they (the tanks) can be bought Indonesia will be able to keep its strength equal to that of neighboring countries," he said.
Because of the European sovereign debt crisis, European weaponry makers needed a great sum of money in cash, prompting them to sell weaponry at low prices, he said.
The procurement of the main armament system must be completed in 2014 according to the current state budget, he said.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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