Indonesian Manufacturer to Produce Indigenous Combat Vehicles
Indonesian weapons manufacturer Pindad will begin production of an armoured fighting vehicle in 2014, company director Adik Avianto Sudarsono has said. The new model, Kanon, will be based on the South Korean-built Tarantula combat vehicle. "We expect to develop the Kanon combat ve
Indonesian weapons manufacturer Pindad will begin production of an armoured fighting vehicle in 2014, company director Adik Avianto Sudarsono has said.
The new model, Kanon, will be based on the South Korean-built Tarantula combat vehicle.
"We expect to develop the Kanon combat vehicle in 2013 and have it ready for production by 2014," he added.
House of Representatives Commission I member Tri Tamtomo said a locally built vehicle was crucial because 90% of the Indonesian Army arsenal of combat vehicles were aging.
"They're all at least 15 years old. All we can do to keep them relevant is to retrofit them with more firepower and thicker armour," he added.
About 30 Pindad engineers will be sent to South Korea to study the vehicle's design in order to develop an Indonesian variant.
Pindad has recently received a $98m contract to retrofit 54 tanks, according to the Jakarta Globe.