Indonesia nears weapons maintenance self-reliance: Defense Minister

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2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has said that Indonesia has taken a step closer to self-reliance in the maintenance of primary weapons systems (alutsista).

The progress was marked by the success of PT Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia (GMF) in carrying out heavy maintenance for the Indonesian Air Force’s C-130H Hercules transport aircraft.

“Today marks a starting point showing the modernization of transport aircraft owned by the Indonesian Air Force,” Sjamsoeddin said at a press conference during the handover of the Hercules C-130H A-1319 aircraft from GMF to the Defense Ministry here on Wednesday.

According to Sjamsoeddin, this success came about through a technology transfer partnership between PT GMF and Lockheed Martin, the US-based manufacturer of the Hercules.

With this achievement, he expressed confidence that both PT GMF and state-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia, as Indonesian aerospace companies, will be able to enhance their aircraft maintenance capabilities.

Not only in the field of transport aircraft, he expressed hope that the two companies will also be able to carry out heavy maintenance for other air defense equipment, such as fighter jets and reconnaissance aircraft.

At the same time, he also touched on the progress of building a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for Hercules aircraft at Kertajati Airport, West Java.

The MRO facility is expected to become the largest Hercules maintenance facility in Asia. Sjamsoeddin expected that PT GMF’s success in maintaining the Hercules can become key capital for its involvement in developing the Kertajati MRO facility.

“This is work that we will carry out this year and in the years to come,” he explained.

Earlier, GMF President Director Andi Fahrurrozi said the completion of their C-130H Hercules maintenance project marked a milestone in the company’s capability development, while also proving that the domestic industry is able to sustainably support the country’s strategic defense needs.

The aircraft was the first to undergo a major modification process at GMF, covering a center wing box replacement, an avionics upgrade program, and a structural integrity program.

“This is a modernization in line with the development of C-130 aircraft worldwide,” he said.