Navy plans to purchase new submarines
Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung
The Indonesian Navy has proposed that the government purchase two
submarines from North Korea (typo mistake) under a countertrade
scheme worth US$600 million and involving 30 CN-235 passenger
planes produced by state aircraft manufacture PT Dirgantara
Indonesia (DI).
Navy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Bernard Kent Sondakh said that the
deal would be negotiated by the Indonesian and South Korean
governments.
He said that the new submarines would play an indispensable role in
augmenting the Indonesian Navy fleet, which was currently in bad
shape.
"At present, we only have two German-made submarines that are less
than 20 years old, far below the ideal figure of 12 submarines," he
said.
Although the lack of submarines had not dealt a severe blow to the
country's defense system, it did put its credibility at risk, the
admiral said.
"Neighboring countries would easily know that we only have two
submarines when we dock one of our armada," he said.
Bernard said that one South Korean-made submarine, which he said
was of good quality, was priced at between US$200 million and $300
million.
He also said that the Navy fell short of possessing the ideal
number of helicopters for air defense. "The Navy now has only 166
helicopters, far below the ideal figure of 300 units," Bernard
said.
PT DI director of production Budi Wuraskito said that his company
would need 5 years to complete manufacturing the aircraft that
would be sold under the proposed countertrade deal.
"We can only produce six CN-235 aircraft per year, therefore we
will need five years to complete the order," he said.
He also said that the countertrade scheme had been discussed by the
ministries of defense of both countries in the last two years. "But
the Korean defense ministry said that the deal was not included in
its 2004 state budget -- maybe for 2005 or 2006," he said.
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