Indonesian leader vows to modernize military arms

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday vowed to modernize weaponry system in the military under an "accountable procurement policy."

"The time has come to modernize the major weaponry system and military equipment to increase our strength," the president said during the swearing-in ceremony of new Indonesian Military chief Air Marshall Djoko Soeyanto at the state palace here.

The arms procurement will focus on domestic industries and be held in accountable and transparent procedures, said Susilo.

The government said last month it planned to buy three new warships from Russia and several "kilo-class" attack submarines possibly from Germany.

A close aide has announced that Susilo will travel to Russia in June for talks on the purchase of eight Sukhoi jet fighters in a bid to establish a squadron of the Russian jets after the earlier purchase of four unarmed Sukhois two years ago.

Indonesia purchased two corvettes from the Netherlands in 2004, which was scheduled to arrive in the country in 2007 and 2008.

Source: Xinhua