Indonesia is spending $8 billion this year on defence - still rather modest for a country of 240m, but sharply from $2,6 billion in 2006. Much is going on new handware and spare parts. The country has acquired Russian and American warplanes, including F-16 fighters, vessels for its navy and spare parts for its C-130 transport planes. In January Indonesia signed a $1,1 billion deal for three German-made diesel electric submarines and lawmakers are debating whether to buy 100 Leopard tanks from the Netherlands, Mr Yudhoyono also wants to improve the lots of soldiers, with higher salaries and benefits (The Economist)
ma 30 apr 2012 - 5:49