WNAM REPORT: President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized the importance of domestically developing defense equipment, particularly submarine fleets, according to a senior navy official. Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali made the statement after bestowing the Hiu Kencana Honorary Brevet on the president at the Military Sea Command Headquarters in North Jakarta on Saturday.
“The president instructs us to always prioritize the domestic manufacture of these ships,” Ali remarked.
Amid the planning to procure submarines from France, the admiral affirmed that cooperation would be established with state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL for the production of Indonesian ships and defense equipment to develop this project.
“This is a joint venture between Naval Group and PT PAL to build the latest Scorpène® Evolved submarine equipped with advanced propulsion and weaponry technology,” Ali explained.
He expressed hope that this cooperation would strengthen the capabilities of the Indonesian Navy and support the independence of the national defense industry.
“This Scorpène® submarine is the evolved one, the most recent release, which is quite sophisticated in terms of propulsion and weaponry,” he highlighted.
On Saturday, President Jokowi was bestowed the Hiu Kencana honorary brevet as a mark of appreciation for his support for the Navy.
“The president has helped the Navy and Submarine Unit in improving and building the strength of the submarine fleet,” Ali remarked.
The Hiu Kencana Honorary Brevet was also conferred on Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, who was also present at the event.
According to Ali, Jokowi has played a significant role in strengthening Indonesia’s submarine fleet through policies applied along with Minister Prabowo.
He noted that the awarding of this honorary brevet is in keeping with the tradition since almost all Indonesian presidents, including Soekarno, Soeharto, Habibie, Megawati, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, have received the same award.
