The Condition Of Indonesian Armed Forces Is Very Regrettable, Mahfud MD Agrees When Added To The Defense Strengthening

KRI Raden Eddy Martadinata-331 (right) is sailing/ANTARA

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, assesses that Indonesia's weapons need to be added to face various challenges in the defense sector, as stated by the Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto. "I often calculate (the weapons that Indonesia needs) with Pak Prabowo. If we only think about the capabilities or strength of our weapons, we are very worried," Mahfud said in a written statement received in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, October 20. He conveyed this in a discussion with Rocky Gerung which was broadcast on the RGTV Channel ID YouTube channel, last Wednesday. The number of fighter aircraft in Indonesia is currently far from what it should be. According to Mahfud's calculations with Prabowo, the need for aircraft in Indonesia should number 200 units. However, Indonesia only has 17 units. Similar conditions, he said, also occurred in firearms and warships in Indonesia. "Warships and weapons with a shooting range of 200,000 kilometers, how much do we have? Meanwhile, we have all the needs with this area," he said. Therefore, he also said, to overcome this problem, the government has required the weaponry as well as the expertise of the nation's children in the field of defense to be prepared to face various defense challenges. In fact, he added, Prabowo had made a proposal given to Indonesian President Joko Widodo containing a long-term investment projection for Indonesian weapons from 2022 to 25 years. "The government says this must be done, our weapons and expertise must be prepared. It is projected by now 2022, Pak Prabowo has calculated the next 25 years," he said. Currently, the government's long-term investment proposal for the arsenal is being recalculated. "The Ministry of Defense has submitted a proposal to the president and is now recalculated to be careful in calculating it so that later we will provide weapons, as is the way Japanese people respond to other countries," he said.