Last update - 00:00 22/10/2006
Source: Indonesia plans to buy Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles
By Yossi Melman, Haaretz Correspondent
Indonesia is planning to purchase Searcher Mark-II unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from Israel, according to Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) Commander, Marshal Djoko Suyanto.
Israeli sources refused to comment on these reports.
The Indonesian Defense Minister, Juwono Sudarsono, said that the procurement of UAVs from another country, like Israel, was a realistic decision because similar locally-built equipment with the same technology was needed by the Indonesian defense forces.
Sudarsono explained that Indonesia had tried to develop a UAV prototype last year, but its coverage and range were limited.
"We still need time and huge amounts of money to develop these aircraft both for military and commercial purposes. To upgrade the existing prototype, we still need further study, time and huge sums of money," Juwono said.
The ministry's research and development agency is still studying the result of research and development of the main weaponry system for reconnaissance, aircraft and ships.
The news that the predominantly Muslim Indonesia was planning to procure military equipment from Israel, a country with which it has no diplomatic ties, resulted in considerable criticism by legislators in parliament.
Some legislators claimed that procuring the UAVs from Israel is in violation of laws and regulations and accused the government of ignoring required procedures.
However, Djoko denied a statement by the House of Representatives that in planning the purchase of UAVs from Israel, the government had ignored the required procedures.
Djoko said that the plan to purchase the reconnaissance aircraft was initiated by the TNI because its technical specifications met that of all three services.
"Then we made surveys here and there, not only in one country. The surveys were conducted by a joint team with personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, the TNI's strategic intelligence agency BAIS and the ministry of defense," he said.