RI NEEDS 39 MORE SUBMARINES

Bogor, W Java, Dec 22 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) needs 39 more submarines to protect the country's vast marine territory against external threat, a naval officer said.
"Indonesia needs to increase its naval fleet. We have vast marine territory which needs intensive security to protect it against external disturbance," Deputy Naval Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Marsetio said here on Wednesday.

Vice Marshal Marsetio was in Bogor to attend a unit commanders roll call initiated by the Marine Corps. A total of 84 personnel from different command units at the Marine Corps took part in the event.

He said the Indonesian Navy's main armament system was still far from adequate. "Our main armament system needs to be increased and strengthened. We need to increase the number of submarines as we now only have a few units."
As the world's largest archipelagic country, Indonesia saw the urgency to have submarines in adequate numbers to protect its marine sovereignty, he said.

"We need 39 more submarines," he said.

The addition of the 39 submarines would hopefully help the Indonesian Navy keep the country's marine territory intact, he said.

"The submarines will be stationed in various parts of the country's marine territory. We will give extra security particularly on outlying islands and waters prone to foreign countries' claim," he said.

"We must keep the sovereignty and territory of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia intact. We will not let an inch of land go to foreign parties," he said.