Indonesia Defence Forum

[Nilgiri]

Higher than ever, cause Jokowi had nothing to loose for the next election, chance several people will use military contract and gap in defense secrecy to enrich themselves

Is there term limit for Indonesian president?

 

[Nike]

Is there term limit for Indonesian president?

Only twice

 

[barjo]

Higher than ever, cause Jokowi had nothing to loose for the next election, chance several people will use military contract and gap in defense secrecy to enrich themselves

Remember buying spree from the last before him

 

[umigami]

Indonesia is quietly talking to the United States about the purchase of 32 new Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper jets and six C-130J cargo aircrafts.

US President Donald Trump and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo shake hands during a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 8, 2017. Photo: AFP/Saul Loeb

To pacify Trump, Indonesia seeks American arms
Jakarta is weighing big-ticket US weapons purchases to rebalance trade relations and maintain privileged access to US markets

ByJOHN MCBETH, JAKARTA
Indonesia is quietly talking to the United States about the purchase of 32 new Lockheed Martin F-16 Viper jets and six C-130J cargo aircraft in what may partly be an effort to remove the country from any possible sanctions as the US-China trade war returns to a boil.

Well-placed Washington sources speculate that the Indonesians are seeking to protect their Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) access, as well as to ward off possible US congressional retaliation against friendly countries that have recently purchased Russian military hardware.

Indonesia does not appear to be prominent on US President Donald Trump’s radar. But a US$12.6 billion bilateral trade imbalance and a rising trend of protectionism in Washington could change that, despite Indonesia just reporting its largest monthly trade deficit since 2013.

Two-way US-Indonesia trade last year hit $28.2 billion, a 7% increase over the previous year, with Indonesian exports outweighing US imports by $20.8 billion to $8.2 billion. Those flows only slightly closed the US’ deficit gap compared to 2017.

During a visit that year, US Vice President Mike Pence made it clear to President Joko Widodo that he had to do a lot more to “level the playing field and break down barriers” to ensure US exporters can fully participate in the Indonesian market.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (R) and US Vice President Mike Pence at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on April 20, 2017. Photo: AFP/Bay Ismoyo/Pool
While there is no timeline, Indonesia received another reminder of what is at stake with a visit last week by Bart Thanhauser, US Trade Representative Office director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. His visit was part of an ongoing year-long GSP eligibility review related to Indonesia’s presence on a list of 16 trading partners with which the US has big trade deficits.

“I don’t think Indonesia is more on the radar than anyone else,” says one executive familiar with the talks. “I don’t think Trump actually knows where Indonesia is. But the State Department is certainly putting more emphasis on private sector trade and investment and overall economic growth.”

Most of the attention is focused on horticulture, beef imports and agricultural quotas in general, along with patent laws and draconian 2012 legislation which stipulates that all electronic data generated by foreign banks, insurance, e-commerce and credit card companies should be housed in Indonesia.

“There are large differences in how regulations are written and applied,” says one US government commercial guide. “Domestic interests often take advantage of the non-transparency of the legal and judicial systems to undermine regulations to the detriment of foreign partners.”

Indonesia’s protectionism has always been a sticking point. But while the resolution of the ownership battle over Phoenix-based Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold’s Grasberg mine in Papua province has taken at least one irritant off the table, it has since been replaced by the de facto nationalization of the oil and gas industry.

State-owned oil company Pertamina took over the Mahakam block, the country’s second largest gas field, from French giant Total in 2017 and now has plans to assume control of Chevron’s 200,000-barrel-a-day Rokan oilfield in 2021, in addition to many other smaller producing blocks.

An Indonesian worker at a Chevron energy facility in her country. Photo: Chevron/Twitter
Overall, Trump and his advisers won’t find many US manufacturers have moved significant jobs and operations to Indonesia, which is still struggling to rationalize its nationalist economic policies with a desire for more foreign investment to revitalize its faltering manufacturing base.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and other key figures in the Widodo administration clearly understand the contradiction, but it will take a dramatic change of policy direction by the president for foreign investors to start taking notice.

The latest target of Trump’s ire, blacklisted Chinese telecom giant Huawei, has made major inroads into the Indonesian market over the past eight years, supplying low-cost equipment to state-run Telkomsel and most of the other mobile phone providers.

Industry sources say that has been accomplished through generous financial packages, targeted inducements and the company’s proclivity for agreeing to most of the terms of a contract, including often rigid service performance indicators.

Indonesia is still five years away from making the transition to 5G, with government regulators wisely delaying the issuance of spectrum until they are satisfied existing 3G and 4G networks have been brought up to an acceptable standard.

That will also save the government from having to make any difficult decisions that could rile the US or China.

On the military front, it is still not clear whether Indonesia’s plans to buy 11 advanced Su-35 FlankerE multi-role fighters from Russia will run into the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which penalizes procurers of Russian military systems.

The air force has said it will have no option but to terminate the deal if US sanctions are enforced, but as a spokesman has noted: “We need to operate a combination of East-made and West-made fighters. Politics is uncertain, and we need balance because if we have problems with the West, we can use aircraft made in the East.”

A Lockheed Martin F-16 Vipor jet with weapons under its wings. Photo: Lockheed Martin
Ironically, the Indonesian military only went shopping in Russia in the early 2000s because of a US arms embargo which began with the Dili, East Timor, churchyard massacre by Indonesian troops in 1991 and was only strengthened following East Timor’s bloody separation from Indonesia eight years later.

Although Indonesia already has a squadron of twin-engine Sukhoi Su-27/30 jets, the subsequent lifting of the embargo has seen the delivery in the last two years of 24 refurbished US-made F-16s and eight Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters worth an estimated $1.4 billion.

Indonesia’s intended purchases, including the $1.1 billion Su-35 deal, fit with an ambitious air force modernization plan, announced in June 2018, to bring its force level up to eight fighter squadrons and six refreshed transport squadrons by 2024.

It currently has six fighter squadrons spread across Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi, with an inventory that includes 25 F-16C/Ds, 16 Su-27/30s and 24 British Aerospace BAE Hawk 200s.

Government sources say the C-130 workhorses are a higher priority than the costly, state-of-the-art Vipers because of the steady depletion of its current 18-strong fleet, invaluable in flying troops and relief supplies to remote parts of the archipelago.

Indonesia’s Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and then US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis at a ceremony in Jakarta, January 23, 2018. Photo: Government Handout
Apart from its normal transport role, the Super Hercules C-130 can also be quickly configured for prolonged maritime surveillance duties with belly-mounted radar and roll-on, roll-off sensor stations in place of cargo.

The Indonesians have yet to publicly announce their interest in the F-16V, which was first demonstrated at the Singapore Air Show in 2012 and only went into service with Taiwan’s Air Force this year.

Developed to inter-operate with Lockheed’s fifth-generation F-35 and F-22 fighters, the latest F-16 variant can be deployed against enemy air defenses and also in air-to-air, air-to-ground and deep interdiction and maritime missions.

US analysts advise Indonesia to continue conducting business as usual and say there is no need for Jakarta to make any major announcements on military procurements or highlight joint military exercises or other unilateral endeavors.

High-level US visits in the recent past by Pence and then Defense Secretary James Mattis went a long way, they say, to establishing Indonesia’s value to the US as a democracy of strategic importance. But whether that assessment extends to the mercurial and unpredictable Trump is a different matter.

https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/05/article/to-pacify-trump-indonesia-seeks-american-arms/

Wait... 32? Not 48?

 

[Nike]

Wait... 32? Not 48?

Papua formation still in discussion table, two squadron is for Supadio and El Tari first

 

[radialv]

Papua formation still in discussion table, two squadron is for Supadio and El Tari first

Masuk akal.....el tari dan supadio lebih banyak titik sinngungnya dengan hotspot regionaldpd Biak Airbase

 

[Mr. Woof Woof]

Papua formation still in discussion table, two squadron is for Supadio and El Tari first

Beside Supadio, Eltari and Biak, kindly also keep in mind that Sam Ratulangi will soon to be a type A AFB.

 

[Jatosint]

Masuk akal.....el tari dan supadio lebih banyak titik sinngungnya dengan hotspot regionaldpd Biak Airbase

Gk juga sih buat beberapa tahun kedepan, itu AS dan AUS bikin pangkalan baru di Manus Island

 

[barjo]

Gk juga sih buat beberapa tahun kedepan, itu AS dan AUS bikin pangkalan baru di Manus Island

Respond to russian TU-95 flight to biak.
Literaly we are serounded by spiting fire snake, elephant, kangoroo, and bald bird, its just time when the conflict that is not ours, passing above our space and waters. Hope someone there not so comfortable sit in senayan for next 5-10 years

 

[V3NOM12]

Respond to russian TU-95 flight to biak.
Literaly we are serounded by spiting fire snake, elephant, kangoroo, and bald bird, its just time when the conflict that is not ours, passing above our space and waters. Hope someone there not so comfortable sit in senayan for next 5-10 years

Unfortunately our elected president and his team always believe no war for coming 20 years. But lets hope for his second term his opinion will change

 

[HellFireIndo]

Unfortunately our elected president and his team always believe no war for coming 20 years. But lets hope for his second term his opinion will change

This is less about actually believing there will be no war for the next decades, but more about petty politics as always. Each candidates need to discredit the other one as much as possible, even if that means saying things that contradict your actual view/programs. Cause there' no use at all to rewire your programs for the next few years on a single debate, there's no obligation for elected President to do everything exactly like what he said during his campaign, like, did Trump already build a literal wall with Mexico literally paying for it?

The President elect knows that he is no expert at Military matters, so he gave his underlings autonomy in designing the Renstra as they wished, and in this case, they chose to just go finishing the MEF program, as it goes until the end of President elect's second term, and there's no need of an additional ambitious program until 2023-2024. Admittedly, Military and defense is not the highest priority for the government at the moment, but, fortunately the Defense ministry is to be given the highest budget for the next year.

Will we see a a change over the passiveness of the current administration in developing the Military? i'm pretty sure we will, cause we all know the recipe : President's 1st term : consolidating support, solving the basic civil issues, cementing his grip on government institutions, doing what had promised in his campaign, all lead to a single goal : winning the next election. And the 2nd term? doing what he really wanted to do all along, more freely as there's no opposition that could make him doubt any of his decisions, cause he'll not going to run for the next election anyway. People keep screaming about what they need during SBY and Jokowi's 1st term in office, but after they are satisfied just enough? no more demands and complaining, just plain old mildly demonstrating over basic matters.

The second term is pretty much the incumbent President's sandbox, he can do whatever he pleased as long as it make some sense and no corruption projects, the opposition will scream in vain during this time and they will naturally conserve their energy for the next election. Even MEF was put into motion in SBY's second term, as he was finally able to allocate resources on "misc" matters like the Military, when in the previous term he was focused on the usual "Sembako, BBM, Sembako, BBM, Sembako, BBM" and have no time for other matters.

 

[barjo]

We are no

Unfortunately our elected president and his team always believe no war for coming 20 years. But lets hope for his second term his opinion will change

We are not going in to war... But someone else war read my threat carefully, "someone else problem that might get us into a trouble".

Kita akan hanya jadi daerah lintasan konflik seperti balkan, teluk atau kashmir daerah strategis yg jadi "tempat lewat kekuatan lain" karena posisi geostrategis kita

This is less about actually believing there will be no war for the next decades, but more about petty politics as always. Each candidates need to discredit the other one as much as possible, even if that means saying things that contradict your actual view/programs. Cause there' no use at all to rewire your programs for the next few years on a single debate, there's no obligation for elected President to do everything exactly like what he said during his campaign, like, did Trump already build a literal wall with Mexico literally paying for it?

The President elect knows that he is no expert at Military matters, so he gave his underlings autonomy in designing the Renstra as they wished, and in this case, they chose to just go finishing the MEF program, as it goes until the end of President elect's second term, and there's no need of an additional ambitious program until 2023-2024. Admittedly, Military and defense is not the highest priority for the government at the moment, but, fortunately the Defense ministry is to be given the highest budget for the next year.

Will we see a a change over the passiveness of the current administration in developing the Military? i'm pretty sure we will, cause we all know the recipe : President's 1st term : consolidating support, solving the basic civil issues, cementing his grip on government institutions, doing what had promised in his campaign, all lead to a single goal : winning the next election. And the 2nd term? doing what he really wanted to do all along, more freely as there's no opposition that could make him doubt any of his decisions, cause he'll not going to run for the next election anyway. People keep screaming about what they need during SBY and Jokowi's 1st term in office, but after they are satisfied just enough? no more demands and complaining, just plain old mildly demonstrating over basic matters.

The second term is pretty much the incumbent President's sandbox, he can do whatever he pleased as long as it make some sense and no corruption projects, the opposition will scream in vain during this time and they will naturally conserve their energy for the next election. Even MEF was put into motion in SBY's second term, as he was finally able to allocate resources on "misc" matters like the Military, when in the previous term he was focused on the usual "Sembako, BBM, Sembako, BBM, Sembako, BBM" and have no time for other matters.

Yeah lesson from WW1&2 economical benefit and what we will get after the war, we not going in to a war if there are no benefit on us, war is bussines since BBM translate it into coal in WW 1 and gasoline in WW 2 its all about industrial benefit. Not merely about nationality or teritorial benefit, all they white folks (sorry to say) now is taking half the world economic from the last great war and also half on fuel resourches and enegy from the last middle east conflict. China is the game changer for them.. Let us watch and let them fight.

We are not god enough going to war if we are not setle our basic needs, look at past russian empire and austro hungarian or any nation country that going war with empty stomach.. Is suicidal

What the US Aussie move is exact some move by russian in venezuela, making an outpost in some venezuela island or syria in latakia, but we are not in war or civil unrest... Or somebody want it happen around us, and if it does, we soon will be know

 

[HellFireIndo]

Yeah lesson from WW1&2 economical benfit and what we will get after the war, we not going in to a war if there are no benefit on us, war is bussiner since BBM translate it into coal in WW 1 and gasoline in WW 2 its all about industrial benefit. Not merely about nationality or teritorial benefit, all they white folks (sorry to say) now is taking half the world econlmic from the las t great war and also half on fuel respurches and enegy from the last middle east conflict. China is the game changer for them.. Let us watch and let the fight

We don't need to fight, but, we sure need to show to them how big is the fight that we have. Indonesia's priority at the moment is developing the lands and sea while also keeping it intact, there's literally no benefit at all in taking more lands nor any Nationalistic agenda, as we have kinda unique definition of what a "Indonesian Nation" is, taking more unwilling people and hostile land will brings more trouble than benefits.

What is sure that Asia Pacific region will be and will always be one hot region, tensions always escalates here even more so that we'll see the rise of Asian nations to counterweight the US. Knowing that, Indonesia need to act more assertively, we are not the old Suharto-era isolated kind of Indonesia, but Indonesia the big one. If some kind of "power race" escalates, Indonesia need to somehow exploit it's size, economy and strategic location to reap as much benefit as possible, one way is to use the combination of economic + industrial + military power, that way, we'll get a major slice of Malacca strait and SCS's geographical benefit to serve our interest.

Indonesia sits literally on the bridge between Indian ocean and SCS, the main sea route from India to China, and that alone is one heck of a potential for us to steer the wave a little bit to our benefit. In such Asia-Pacific conflict of interest, we must be strong enough to 1. not be attacked 2. make deal with any side 3. be seen as a strategic partner 4.carry a considerable weight in diplomacy 5. able to attack the immediate neighbors if there's no other choice left. I believe that there's no option but to be a bit ambitious in coming decades, as all other countries doesn't seems to mind being a dick sometimes, showing strength etc... in the end, it's always kill or to be killed, eat or to be eaten.

 

[barjo]

We don't need to fight, but, we sure need to show to them how big is the fight that we have. Indonesia's priority at the moment is developing the lands and sea while also keeping it intact, there's literally no benefit at all in taking more lands nor any Nationalistic agenda, as we have kinda unique definition of what a "Indonesian Nation" is, taking more unwilling people and hostile land will brings more trouble than benefits.

What is sure that Asia Pacific region will be and will always be one hot region, tensions always escalates here even more so that we'll see the rise of Asian nations to counterweight the US. Knowing that, Indonesia need to act more assertively, we are not the old Suharto-era isolated kind of Indonesia, but Indonesia the big one. If some kind of "power race" escalates, Indonesia need to somehow exploit it's size, economy and strategic location to reap as much benefit as possible, one way is to use the combination of economic + industrial + military power, that way, we'll get a major slice of Malacca strait and SCS's geographical benefit to serve our interest.

Indonesia sits literally on the bridge between Indian ocean and SCS, the main sea route from India to China, and that alone is one heck of a potential for us to steer the wave a little bit to our benefit. In such Asia-Pacific conflict of interest, we must be strong enough to 1. not be attacked 2. make deal with any side 3. be seen as a strategic partner 4.carry a considerable weight in diplomacy 5. able to attack the immediate neighbors if there's no other choice left. I believe that there's no option but to be a bit ambitious in coming decades, as all other countries doesn't seems to mind being a dick sometimes, showing strength etc... in the end, it's always kill or to be killed, eat or to be eaten.

Yes i agree with that
We need to be strong coz no one dare to distrub big dog unless they are bigger

 

[182]

late news:

7 French Jet Fighter Conduct Emergency Landing at Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport, Aceh

the channel said: is it Rafale promotion?