U.S. Offers Grants Additional F-16 Aircraft

If the grant is targeted to form three skadron the F-16, then with 10 F-16 aircraft currently to 24 aircraft owned plus grants that have been agreed then there is still a shortage of 14 aircraft. That's a total of 14 aircraft, which is expected in addition offer the following grants from the U.S



Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said his return spell grants the U.S. F-16 combat aircraft currently Associate Sekjen Ministry of Defence Marshal TNI Eris Herryanto visit to the country last week.

"They (the U.S.) grant another positive to add," said Menhan to journalists at Kemhan Office, Jakarta, Wednesday.

Shipping 24 F-16 aircraft that was previously outworn planned to hibah to Indonesia, until now no terealisasikan.

Purnomo said the U.S. government's bid to be heard again. If approved, it will be very influential on aerospace power increase as the number of combat skadron TNI Air Force can take up to three times more than the present.

"Grants will accelerate the achievement of minimum principal strength program (minimum essential force / MEF) TNI," he said.

He admitted he did not worry about the possibility of the occurrence of an obstacle in the process of realization is made ​​possible because of the political situation in the United States changed, if President Barack Obama failed to select the next election because the plan was by agreement grants the local parliament.

At the same place, the General Secretary Prof. Marshal TNI Kemhan Herryanto Eris does not explain in detail how the amount of aircraft that will hibah back to America, yet hibah the aircraft will have the same specifications with 24 units of F-16 comes first hibah.

The F-16 will be in the 'up grade' ability to be equivalent to the F-16 combat aircraft Block 52. With up grade, then the aircraft will be able to fly in a span of around 15-20 years.

Chance to 2014 will have around 45 defense equipment moves, including combat or transport aircraft, which arrived in Indonesia.

Corresponding increase in the amount of fighter and transport aircraft which will be owned by the TNI Air Force, Assistant Chief of Staff of the Air Force Logistics Marsda TNI Java Festival Production Sitompul say, TNI AU is doing recruitment flyer every year around 30 people.

"With the recruitment of running, the predicted increase in scores will still be able to manned aircraft," he said.