Solo, Central Java (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Imam Sufaat said the air force will install 32 radars throughout Indonesia by 2024.

"Four radars which control air space, had already been installed in East Indonesia, and in February next year would be operated," the air force chief said when installing 97 young officers at Adi Soemarmo airbase in Wednesday.

He said the radars had been imported from France and the UK, and are therefore are costly.

He also said that the four radars had been installed in Kupang, Samlaki, Merauke, and Biak.

But the radar in Timika is still being installed.

"The latest was the installation of a radar in Timika, and we planned to install four others in Jayapura, Singkawang, Pontianak, Poso, and Tabulang," he said.

He said 32 units will be installed up to 2024.

"Right now only 18 radars had been installed in different parts of the country," he said.

As Indonesia is a very wide area, the 32 units are the least that would be installed.(*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011