Dirtekbang of Pindad Delivers Defense Industry Empowerment Presentation on PII’s 70th Anniversary

Chief of Technology and Development officer of PT Pindad, Sigit P. Santosa was a resource person at the 70th Anniversary Webinar of the Indonesian Engineers Association (PII) on Monday, April 18, 2022. Organizing a webinar with the theme “Empowerment of the Strategic Defense Industry in Supporting the Independence of the TNI’s Main Weapon System Equipment (Alutsista)” with a discussion on the modernization of Alutsista, the achievement of the TNI's Minimum Essential Force (MEF) and contributions to the national economy. The Webinar was opened by Ir Bambang Goeritno as Secretary General representing Dr. Ir. Danis Hidayat Sumadilaga, M.Eng.Sc., IPU, General Chairperson of the PII Central Committee for the 2021-2024 Period and then speaker by Andi Widjajanto, S.Sos., M.Sc. as the Governor of the National Defense Institute (Lemhannas) and Major General (Ret.) Jan Pieter Ate, M.Bus., M.A as the Daily Chair of the National Private Defense Industry Association (Pinhantanas). As for the moderator by Laksma TNI, Dr. Ir. Abdul Rivai Ras, M.M., M.S., M.Sc. as Chair of the Defense and Strategic Industry Division of the PII Central Management for the 2021-2024 Period. The webinar activity received a positive response with more than 150 participants consisting of industry practitioners, academics/researchers, bureaucrats, politicians, TNI/Polri and students.

In his remarks the Secretary General of PII, Ir. Bambang Goeritno conveyed the importance for us to have strategic industry independence for the national defense system which is continuously supported through superior new technological innovations.

“The independence of the defense industry and the ability to produce defense equipment is one of the targets of the Indonesian government in the defense sector. In this case, PII also pays attention to the importance of empowering and developing strategic defense industries to support the modernization of the TNI's defense equipment." said Bambang.

Sigit P. Santosa in the webinar activity conveyed about the development of PT Pindad in meeting strategic defense needs and efforts to support the independence of domestic defense equipment. He explained starting from the directives of the President, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of SOEs as support and to promote and increase the independence of domestic defense equipment.

"As an industry, PT Pindad develops itself to become an independent industry that has the capability and technology for the production of defense equipment and the freedom to choose the source of material / technology and is free from all dependencies." Sigit explained.

Sigit P. Santosa also explained that PT Pindad has a vision to become a top 100 global defense company by 2024 by offering high quality solutions and products, through innovation and strategic partnerships. Sigit added about Pindad's current capabilities in innovation and applied technology, the products that have been produced, and Pindad's role in advancing the Indonesian economy as an industry.

One of the hot issue discussed products is the Harimau Medium Tank as a result of product development collaboration with FNSS, the Turkish defense industry which has gone through the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and is ready to produce 18 units. One of the series of tests of the Harimau's First Article Medium Tank is the firing test on February 24-25, 2022 at the Infantry Education Center (Pusdikif) of the TNI Cipatat, West Bandung Regency. The purpose of the firing test activity was to determine and ensure the capability of the turret with a 105mm cannon in good condition, meeting the requirements and the latest design specifications that received various improvements.