REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) must continue to modernize its strategies and main armament systems to defend its air territory, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Agus Supriatna.

"Until the end of 2014, we had 16 Sukhoi Su-30 and five F-16 aircraft. We have a plan and strategy to have aircraft equipped with 'early warning' systems that are capable of conducting air operations to defend its territory in the future," he noted after attending a rehearsal for the Air Force's 69th anniversary ceremony at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Air Base in East Jakarta on Tuesday (7/4).

In addition, the country needed to increase the number of its radars to cover its entire territory stretching from Sabang in the west to Marauke in the east, he emphasized.

Currently, the country has deployed 22 radars, but it needs 32 radars to cover its entire territory, he claimed.

"This year, we will get two more radars. Their number continues to increase every year until they can cover the entire territory of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia," he said.

The TNI AU had also proposed the procurement of the Russian-made fifth generation Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters and the US-made F-16 Block 70 jet fighters, he revealed.

The advanced jet fighters would replace F-5s, which are no longer air worthy, he noted.

Supriatna stated that the TNI AU was in the process of evaluating the two types of jet fighters, which were best among their classes.

"The TNI AU has assessed Sukhoi Su-35 and F-16 Block 70 aircraft. They are more advanced than the jet fighters we currently have," he affirmed.

The assessment results had been submitted to the Defense Ministry.

"We are awaiting the Defense Ministry's decision to buy which jet fighters," he remarked.

Hopefully, the delivery of the jet fighters would start next year, he said.

"So, we will not buy a squadron of jet fighters all at once, but in stages," he explained.

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