TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia and the United States formally agreed on the purchase of eight AH-64 Apache attack helicopters. This deal was signed by Indonesia's Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro and the US Defense Secretary Charles Hagel on Monday, August 26.
"The signing event will happen this afternoon following the meeting," Purnomo said in a joint press conference at the Ministry of Defense. According to Purnomo, the Apaches will be operated by the Indonesian National Army.
Hagel said he was happy with the deal, saying that it is a tangible manifestation of America's role in building the Indonesian defense forces.
Purnomo said that with the arrival Apaches the TNI Army will build a special squadron, although the eight Apaches only account for half of a squadron.
"We'll have further discussion about this. We can combine the Apaches with other attack helicopters. The important thing is the fact that we now have advanced attack helicopters," said Purnomo.
Both ministers declined to comment on the price of the helicopters. However, Depity Chairman of the House of Representative's Defense Commission, Tubagus Hasanuddin, once said that the deal is worth Rp3.1 trillion.
Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said that the payment was made "using the money of the Republic of Indonesia. Technically we are borrowing (the money)," he said on the same occasion.
INDRA WIJAYA
