The TNI Commander Inaugurates The Construction Of The Marine Combat Command Headquarters In Natuna

JAKARTA - TNI Commander Marshal TNI Hadi Tjahjanto laid down the first stone as a sign of inaugurating the construction of the Marine Combat Force Command Headquarters Command Fleet I in Natuna, Riau Islands.

The command headquarters, which will be part of the Combat Operations Executive Command in western Indonesia, also functions as the Integrated Maritime Security Command Post. The construction of the Command Headquarters is part of the strengthening of the Integrated TNI Unit in Natuna, the northernmost area in the Karimata Strait which is the border point between Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia.

"The Natuna mandala (region) has a maritime character, so the presence of the Marine Combat Team I Command Headquarters here is expected to strengthen the interoperability (cooperation) capability of TNI's sea and air forces in the maritime domain," said the TNI Commander during the stone-laying ceremony, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, 6 April.

The TNI Commander appreciates the Indonesian Navy for its involvement in building various defense infrastructure in Natuna, one of the outermost and frontier areas of Indonesia.

Natuna is an archipelago consisting of 272 islands in the northernmost region of the Karimata Strait, which is located between the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan. However, administratively, Natuna is a district under the auspices of the Riau Islands Province.

Natuna, according to the TNI Commander, is a strategic Indonesian territory, because it is not only directly adjacent to the South China Sea, but also becomes the forefront for the TNI to map the strength of the Indonesian armed forces.

The stone laying activity for the construction of the command headquarters was part of the agenda of the TNI Commander's visit to Natuna.

During his visit to Natuna, the TNI Commander inaugurated the Alugoro-405 Republic of Indonesia Battleship (KRI) at the Lampa Strait Pier. He also confirmed Marine Lt. Col. (P) Ahmad Noer Taufik as the first commander of KRI Alugoro-405.