JAKARTA, Indonesia, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With over 17,000 islands and a territory stretching across 1.9 million square kilometers, ensuring air sovereignty is a strategic priority for Indonesia. Over the last 35 years, Thales has been supporting the ambitions of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) through the supply of air defence radars and air operation centres throughout the country. Today, Thales is reinforcing its support to TNI-AU with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with PT Len in the area of radar development, a key pillar and one of the seven strategic industries* to be developed in Indonesia as outlined by the Ministry of Defence.
Indonesia's radar strategic project is designed to enhance, expand and strengthen national radar coverage across the country's extensive land and sea territory. Through this MoU, Thales will be providing maintenance to its existing fleet of air defence radars currently in operation with the Air Force, as well as support PT Len in training and transfer-of-technology, to build up local expertise in radar management and maintenance. Thanks to Thales' expertise in high-technology, PT Len will be able to help Indonesian operators make the best decisions when life is at stake.
The MoU further extends Thales and PT Len's years of collaboration in the defence sector, which includes earlier MoUs signed for research and transfer-of-technology in naval combat management systems. Outside of the defence sector, Thales and PT Len are also collaborating on delivering advanced signalling systems for railway projects in Indonesia and the export market, through a separate MoU signed in 2018.
"Thales aligns with Indonesia's ambitions to upgrade its military capabilities while building local capabilities in R&D, system maintenance and manufacturing. We are deeply involved in the strategic defence industries in Indonesia, and this MoU enables us to support PT Len, Indonesia's leading defence electronics partner, in their goal of becoming the country's foremost experts in radars and air defence technologies," Erik-Jan Raatgerink, Country Director, Thales in Indonesia.
*Indonesia's Ministry of Defence has outlined 7 strategic industries to be developed in Indonesia. These are in the areas of fighter jets, submarines, missiles, rockets, propellant, medium tanks and radars. |
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With 66,000 employees in 56 countries, Thales reported sales of EUR15.9 billion in 2018.
