TNI Plans to Form Special Unit to Handle Biological Warfare

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In a Youtube podcast from the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said that the COVID-19 pandemic served as a reminder for the military to anticipate future bioweapons and noted that they will focus on how to counter future attacks. 

“We are aware that the threat of the pandemic has awakened us to the importance of having a special counter-biowarfare unit,” said Hadi on Sunday, November 8.

The TNI commander said the only existing unit within the military that is able to at least face that threat lies in the Army’s (TNI AD) ‘Nubika company’ specializing in nuclear, biology, and chemical aspects. He said this type of military unit could possibly be broadened to either TNI’s Navy (TNI AL) or Air Force (TNI AU). 

“We have thought about that and how to handle a situation where the COVID-19 pandemic massively attacks our soldiers in the field,” said Commander Hadi. There is currently a hospital located in Batam’s Galang Island that is able to treat soldiers infected by viral infections.

Previously reported, the Commander also revealed that the military will soon build a laboratory for the specific use of researching viruses that is planned to be established over the Galang Island in Batam.

Also Read: TNI Commander Reveals Plan to Build a Virus Research Lab

EGI ADYATAMA