CN-235 Aircraft Made in Indonesia Used by the US in Venezuela, DPR: Proof of Quality Domestic Defense Equipment
JAKARTA - Member of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Oleh Soleh, responded to international media reports regarding the Indonesian-made CN-235 aircraft used by the United States in the operation to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
According to him, this issue validates the quality of the country's defense products, which have not been fully utilized in the country.
"Apart from the geopolitical dynamics that underlie the use of the aircraft by other countries, this shows that the products of indigenous defense industry have global quality and competitiveness. Unfortunately, its utilization in the country itself is not optimal," said Oleh Soleh to reporters, Wednesday, January 7.
The CN-235 aircraft is a tactical transport aircraft resulting from the cooperation between PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) with a Spanish company, CASA, which has been used by various countries for military and civilian purposes.
By Soleh's assessment, the issue should be a strategic reflection momentum for the Indonesian government to change the direction of defense policy. Especially in increasing the production and utilization of the main tools of the weapons system (alutsista) in the country.
The member of the commission for defense and foreign relations said that in the midst of global geopolitical escalation that is increasingly uncertain and prone to armed conflict, Indonesia cannot continue to rely on imported military equipment.
He emphasized that defense independence must be built seriously, planned, and sustainable.
"State sovereignty is not only determined by the strength of diplomacy, but also by our ability to produce and control our own alutsista. This has become a strategic need, not just a choice," he said.
The PKB legislator from the West Java XI District also emphasized that strengthening the national defense industry is in line with the Asta Cita in the field of defense, which places independence and national sovereignty as the main foundation for national development.
Therefore, Oleh Soleh encourages the government to prioritize the budget, the fairness of policies, and the consistency of ordering defense equipment to national defense industries such as PT Dirgantara Indonesia. So, according to him, the defense ecosystem based on domestic production is really realized.
"If our products are trusted and used by big countries in strategic operations, then there is no reason for us to hesitate. It's time for domestically produced military equipment to become the backbone of national defense," he concluded.
As reported by The New York Times, the operation to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the US military involved at least 150 military aircraft.
One of them is the CN-235 aircraft, an Indonesian-made aircraft resulting from the cooperation between PT Dirgantara Indonesia and the Spanish company, CASA. The US military is estimated to operate around 32 units of CN-235 aircraft in various variants.