Prabowo Criticized For Suddenly Wanting To Shop For Defense Equipment In The Next Two Weeks

JAKARTA - Military observer Connie Rahakundini Bakrie has questioned Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto who intends to modernize defense equipment in just two weeks. He likens buying defense equipment is not as easy as shopping at a shopping center.

"Suddenly want to make fast roadmaps or two-week of a master plan for modernization. There is an assumption that buying equipment, building posture is like buying cakes at the mall. So anything is bought and there is the possibility of buying second hand. I and Mr. Ponto at the front are against that", he said in a virtual discussion, Sunday, April 25.

However, Connie Rahakundini said that the age of the submarine is not a problem as long as the maintenance is carried out strictly. One of them is related to MRO or maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

"MRO is the key. As the age (of the ship) increases, the more stringent the MRO audit is carried out. In the United States, the MRO and crew are the most difficult. Because at the end of their hands is the fate of the defense equipment and crew", she said.

Connie said, when the repair engineering crew and its components were not really good, the audit order was not good and the quality of the control was not good, it would have a fatal impact.

"The end of history. Currently, there are a lot of KW goods (imitation goods). That's why from the beginning I said, the BPK (Audit Board of Indonesia) went to the MRO. So don't go to the master plan for two weeks to go shopping. That's far away if shopping we can talk together about what to do. Not shopping for the master plan, but we have to make roadmaps", she explained.

Furthermore, Connie said the roadmaps or road maps will determine what you want to spend and what you want to use it for. Including how the supporting components.

"Like we have had submarines for decades but we don't have submarine rescue", she said.