New Air Force
Chief of Staff Gives The Go-Ahead for Replacement of F-5E/F Tiger II
Thursday, 19
January 2017
JAKARTA,
NETRALNEWS.COM - The new Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Marshal TNI
Hadi Tjahjanto, said he will prioritize transparency when purchasing weapons
and military equipment to ensure their safe operation.
"The
initial step is to have a transparent purchasing program for weapons and other
military equipment. I believe that this can ensure safety and help to avoid
accidents," Tjahjanto said on Wednesday.
He added that
he will directly monitor the Indonesian Air Force's purchasing process, and
that good management of both military equipment and vehicle operation can
minimize the probability of accidents.
Tjahjanto
also stated that the country's air fleet will be upgraded by 2024 in accordance
to the national strategic plan. The obsolete F-5E/F Tiger II jet fighter fleet
is included in Tjahjanto's plan and will be replaced with new model of
state-of-the-art fighter aircraft.
"According
to the strategic plan, we are looking to replace the F5 Tiger after the jets
have been grounded for at least a year. The Air Force is still looking for a
potential replacement."
There are
several candidates as the replacement of F-5E/F Tiger II, namely JAS39 Gripen
(Sweden), Sukhoi Su-35 (Russia), F-16 Block 60 Viper (US), and Eurofighter
Typhoon (Airbus-Europe). It was Saab AB
as the manufacturer of JAS39 Gripen who openly and transparently detailed
transfer of technology and acquisition scheme from the very beginning.
He also
stated the Air Force will increase its numbers of air defense radars to 32 from
the 20 radars currently in service. "We are hoping to be able to cover
more area in order to avoid violations of Indonesian air space."
By
implementing good management and improving the Air Force fleet, Tjahjanto
believes that a target of zero accidents could be achieved. President Joko
Widodo appointed Tjahjanto as the new Air Force Chief of Staff after he
previously served as Inspector General of the Defense Ministry. He graduated
from the Air Force Academy in 1986.
Original post:
netralnews.com
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