REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDAR LAMPUNG - Minister of Defense Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Indonesia needed transfer of technology in its maritime industry to produce main system of defense equipment needed by the country.

The domestic maritime industry could build war equipment such as the type of KRI Teluk Bintuni that could transport Leopard tank, Purnomo said after launching KRI Teluk Bintuni on Saturday.

"We will build equipment like KRI Teluk Bintuni as we already have the technology, but we still have to cooperate with other countries with the necessary technology to build certain equipment like submarines," he said, adding that transfer of technology must be part of the cooperation scheme. 

KRI Teluk Bintuni 520 was built by PT Daya Radar Utama, a domestic shipbuilding company, as a transport ship for heavy military equipment such as Leopard tanks. The ship has 120 meters long with the speed of 16,000 knots, supported by two units of machine each with a capacity of 3,285 KW.

Recently Indonesia imported a number of the big tanks from Europe. Indonesia plans to have 12 units of submarine. The first two units would be built in South Korea and a third unit is to be built in the country by the state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL in Surabaya.

Meanwhile, Naval Chief of Staff Admiral Marsetio also attending the ceremony said Indonesia now has 151 units of various types of warship such as frigates, amphibious vehicles, mines, fast guided missile boats, submarines, patrol boats, and ships for frogmen troop.

"Until 2014, there will be four units of ships the type of KRI Teluk Bintuni that could transport Leopard tank. We are also placing order for 11 units of anti submarine helicopter," Marsetio said.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika