Minister Of Industry Agus Gumiwang: Thales Group Cooperation With PT Len Industri Will Strengthen Asia's Defense Industry

JAKARTA - Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita wants cooperation between French multinational companies in the fields of aerospace, defense, security, and transportation, Thales Group, and PT Len Industri (Persero) to support the development of the defense industry in Asia. The two companies agreed to create a joint venture in defense equipment development through a cooperation agreement signed on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Indo Pacific Forum (AIPF) 2023 agenda in Jakarta, early last September. The Minister hopes that the joint venture carried out by the two companies will become a technology center in Asia.., reported from Antara.

According to Agus, the establishment of this joint venture will also demonstrate the commitment of both countries, Indonesia and France, to increase defense and compete in the global arena. In fact, this collaboration will help PT Len Industri (Persero) products enter the world market. Indonesia will be part of Thales' supply chain, so they will play an important role in the production and development of joint defense equipment," he said. The cooperation between the two companies will also modernize and strengthen the country's defense capabilities and develop the main defense system tools (alutsista). This joint venture will develop various types of radars, including military radar, civilian, transportation, and weather. In addition, they will be involved in the development of satellites and control command sensors that can be used for military and civilian purposes.

Menperin optimis, sinergi PT Len Industri (Persero) dan Thales akan dapat meningkatkan kemampuan industri pertahanan dalam negeri, membuka lapangan kerja, dan berkontribusi pada pertumbuhan ekonomi nasional.“Oleh karena itu, melalui kunjungan kerja ini, sebagai wujud nyata kami dalam upaya untuk terus memajukan industri pertahanan dalam negeri,” tegasnya.Saat ini, PT Len Industri (Persero) sedang melakukan perakitan tahap akhir (final assembly) 13 unit sistem radar pengendali Ground Control Interception (GCI) GM-403 yang dipesan oleh Kementerian Pertahanan RI dari Thales. Perakitan ini berlangsung di fasilitas milik PT Len Industri (Persero) di LenTechnopark, Subang, Jawa Barat.Menperin juga berharap, perusahaan patungan ini nantinya dapat memperluas cakupan kerja samanya, misalnya untuk pengembangan Imagery Intelligence (IMINT) for observation satellite, integrasi naval ship combat system, pengembangan command and control systems, serta pengembangan local communication system. Targetnya, perusahaan ini akan menjadi pemain besar di industri alutsista dunia.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Industry will design special regulations regarding the formulation of local content for defense products, and will also consider the design and development process as an assessment contribution. This will ensure protection for investment in Indonesia and require the use of products with a Domestic Component Level (TKDN) of at least 40 percent. As one of the global major players in the development and integration of advanced technology, including avionics, communication systems, radars, and cybersecurity solutions, Directors for International Relations Thales Group Marc Dufourmantelle said that Indonesia is one of the most important countries in Asia for its business.. "In the long term, we intend to develop this joint venture into other Thales domains. Indonesia is important for us so that we will continue to be present through investment and human resources," said Dufourmantelle.