TNI TO REDUCE USE OF PLANES FOR CEREMONIAL PURPOSES

Jakarta, June 15 (ANTARA) - Indonesian military (TNI) commander General Djoko Santoso said the TNI would reduce the use of TNI aircraft in operations outside official ones so as to minimize accidents.

"We will be selective in operating our planes. In ceremonies such as commemoration of the Air Force's anniversary, we will no longer hold fly-pasts. It is also not necessary to hold aerobatics at the close of education or training programs or on other such occasions," Santoso said at the presidential office here on Monday.

The limitations, he said, would also be applied to missions requiring a high degree of caution and accuracy.

"In operations like transporting election logistics we will not fly if the weather is not good," he said.

He said the TNI had decided to conduct special investigations into a number of incidents involving its military hardware recently.

"We need to investigate the incidents and improve maintenance and flight management," he said, adding that to this end, the TNI had set up a special team led by Lieutenant General Lilik AS.

Regarding maintenance and procurement of military hardware so far, he said the government was actually already paying attention to the military's need for new equipment as evident in the recent purchase of Sukhoi planes, four corvettes and plans to buy a submarine.

"We are in fact already refurbishing our armaments and overcoming maintenance problems," he said.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono earlier instructed the TNI to conduct a total consolidation and limit the use of TNI planes without disrupting its main operations such as patrols and territorial monitoring.