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Friday, December 03, 2010 15:40 PM
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/02/2010 8:44 PM
Fighter plane dilemma reflects small budget
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/02/2010 8:44 PM
Legislator Salim Mega of House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing defense, said the United States' offer to give Indonesia 24 F-16 fighter aircraft must be reviewed carefully, as the gift could incur hefty maintenance costs.
Salim said the government must retrofit the donated planes with new systems, including communication devices and weaponry.
He added that the government must compare the cost of refitting the F-16s with the cost of purchasing eight new Sukhoi aircraft, which was the government's plan before the US' offer was made.
He said the dilemma faced by the government reflected the limited budget granted to the Defense Ministry.
"We can only build up our defense systems via an increased budget if our economy is stable," he said.
Solider wages have dominated deliberations on the the 2011 Defence Ministry budget. Only 21.4 percent or Rp.10.1 trillion of next year's budget of Rp.47.4 trillion will be allocated for buying equipment. (gzl)
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