"Do not ignore the maintenance of defense equipment. Therefore TNI/Polri personnel should have technological skills and knowledge," the president said.
Bandung, W Java (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has asked the National Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to improve their skills in and knowledge of military technology.

In his speech at the signing ceremony of cooperation between Indonesian aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Airbus Military here on Wednesday, the president said the improvement of TNI/Polri skills and knowledge in military technology was in line with the growing state budget to modernize the military armament system (alutsista).

The president noted that the improvement of TNI/Polri`s strategic, tactical, and technical operational capability was closely related to the maintenance of defense equipment.

"Do not ignore the maintenance of defense equipment. Therefore TNI/Polri personnel should have technological skills and knowledge," the president said.

According to the head of state, the armament system produced at home and procured from other countries could have made that much power in the future if the military personnel had adequate skills and knowledge.

President Yudhoyono was in Bandung on Wednesday to visit Indonesian aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) in West Java.

In his third visit to PTDI on Wednesday, the president was accompanied by First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, TNI chief, National Police chief and a number of ministers.

President Yudhoyono during the visit would witness four strategic agenda for PTDI namely the signing of inaugural joint product of collaboration between the Indonesian aerospace company and Airbus Military, the signing of a commitment on the procurement of CN-295 aircraft between the company and Defense Ministry, improvement of an agreement on CN-295 market in Asia Pacific, and the signing of a Letter of Intent between PTDI and the National Police.

The signing of a commitment on the procurement of CN-295 aircraft for the Defense Ministry is a new page for PTDI because the company has re-gained the trust from the government to procure one of the armament systems.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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