Defense Ministry to Form Apache Helicopter Squadron

Jakarta (Antara) - The defense ministry said it will form a squadron of Apache AH-64 helicopters to be purchased from the United States. The ministry made the plan after the US government agrees to sell the high technology helicopters to Indonesia. "In order to build up our defense we will prepare an Apache squadron as combat helicopters," Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said after a meeting with his US counterpart Chuck Hagel, here on Monday. Purnomo said he appreciated the US government commitment to defense cooperation with Indonesia as shown in the procurement of the combat helicopters. He said the visit here of the US Defense Secretary showed the closeness of relations between the two countries in the defense sector. He described his meeting with Hagel as important in maintaining and expanding communications to create regional stability. He appreciated the support given by the US government in the Shangri-La Dialogue last June. He gave no details. He said the US government's invitation for ASEAN defense ministers to visit Hawaii to strengthen defense cooperation in Asia Pacific region would be discussed at a meeting of ADMM Retreat on August 28 in Brunei Darussalam. Indonesia and the United States will co-hosts the ADMM Plus, meeting on Counter Terrorism Exercise (CTX), to be held on 9 to 13 of September 2013 in the IPSC Sentul, Bogor. The joint exercise, which will involve 18 countries, will be the first ever held in Asia Pacifik. "I hope US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel would be present to see the joint exercise," Pornomo said. (*)