Quality Weaponry Weighs on Soldiers

Indonesia must keep abreast of developments in defense equipment technology because the quality of defense equipment weighs on the professionalism of national military soldiers.

KOMPAS/AGUIDO ADRI

A number of fighter planes form a formation crossing over the joint training location of the Indonesian National Armed Forces at Monitor Point 12 of the Asembagus Marine Combat Training Center, Situbondo, East Java, Thursday (12/9/2019).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - With the main weaponry system (alutsista) being a determinant in the professionalism of Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers, defense equipment procurement and improvement must be continuously pursued by taking into account the quality and life cycle through maintenance and capacity building.

The fulfillment of the TNI\'s minimum essential force (MEF) strategic plan is still far from expectations. Based on data from the Alutsista Work Committee of the House of Representatives’ Commission I, as of December 2018, the Indonesian Army was only able to meet the minimum needs of 74.62 percent, with the Navy 68.72 percent and the Air Force 44.40 percent.