President Wants Change In The Procurement Of Military Hardware

Depok, West Java (Antara Bali) - President Joko Widodo said he wanted change in the procurement of the country's military equipment with greater involvement of domestic defense industry in the process of modernizing weapons system.

"Our system of procurement of military equipment has to be changed. This is the momentum. We must not rely only on imports. Our defense industry should be involved in designing, engineering ,  and producing weapons," the president said here on Wednesday.

In the future, procurement of the country's main defense should be relied more on the domestic defense industry, he said after attending the 69th anniversary commemoration of the country's police.

"I want the National Military (TNI) to strengthen the zero accident system in using its equipment. The war planes, carriers, war ships , submarines  and helicopters as well as the soldiers must remain  in high readiness," he said.

The president's statement came after yesterday's accidents with an air force's Hercules aircraft crashed in the crowded Jamin Ginting street in Medan leaving score of people dead including civilians.

The president expressed condolence to the families of the victims .

The cause of the accident was still investigated. The accident prompted stronger call for modernization of the military hardware  and stop accepting grant of old equipment.

The Hercules aircraft was more than 50 years old. (WDY)