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INDONESIA PRODUCES SUKHOI BOMB
19 Jan 2006
The Indonesian Defense Industry is ready to produce bombs for the Sukhoi aircraft and other standard aircrafts for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The 100 kilogram caliber bomb named P100 has been produced by the Research and Develpment Division of the TNI Air force HQ.
“It is of good quality, but we can only produce them in small quantities at the moment since our orders are limited,“ informed the R&D Defense Department Head, Lilik Hendrajaya to Tempo in Jakarta recently.
Indonesia now owns four Sukhoi aircrafts. But since it was purchased in 2003, the Russian made aircrafts have never been armed with weapons. The main reason for this was limited budget.
The TNI Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto has confirmed that the Air Force will purchase weapons system from Russia for the Sukhoi planes as soon as possible. “But if can locally produce good quality weapons, then we won’t have to purchase them from abroad.” he promised.
The Sukhoi bomb, made in Indonesia was produced in 2005, a joint work with the TNI Air Force and CV Sari Bahari from Malang, East Java. According to the R&D Division Head of the TNI Air Force, First Air Marshall J. Subagyo, the pilot test had already been implemented early this month.
Subagyo guarantees that the bomb is of good quality, but admitted that they cannot produce the bombs in large numbers since this would also need a bigger budget. “The main point is the good will to use local products. ” he said with much hope.
Lilik is in agreement with Subagyo. The P100 bomb is not manufactured with a missile but Lilik is sure that such difficulties can be overcome by our TNI Air Force since we also have the knowledge to produce bombs using missiles.
The bomb is 1.130 millimeters long, weighing 100-125 kilograms, and has a diameter of 273 millimeters. The bomb is made from the nodular metal for its body, VCN 15 steel is used for the lock to be attached to the aircraft, and the ST-37 for its tail, which is 410 millimeters long.
Still about weapons for the TNI, yesterday the Department of Defense was given an offer that was conveyed by the Dutch Amabassador, H.E. Dr. Nikolaos Van Dam to the Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono, that there is a possibility that PT. PAL will produce the product.
( Taken From www.tni.mil.id )