Drone Findings in the Indonesian Sea and Threats to National Security Page all

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – At the beginning of 2021, the public was surprised by buzz under the sea caught by fishermen off the coast of the Selayar Islands in South Sulawesi.

In fact, buzz this was caught by a local fisherman, Saehuddin, on December 20, 2020. However, the news was only discussed by the public in early 2021.

Buzz With a series of sensors on its nose, it is 2.25 meters long and weighs 175 kilograms.

Saehuddin also delivered buzz that supposedly belonged to China to TNI, precisely Koramil Pasimarannu, Kodim 1415 Selayar Islands.

Also read: Meeting with Foreign Minister Retno and US Foreign Minister: United States rejects China’s claims on the South China Sea

Not the first

The networks buzz under the sea belonging to other countries by local fishermen is not the first time this has happened in Indonesia. In 2019 something similar happened in the waters of Bintan Regency, Riau Islands.

The object that the fisherman thought was a missile turned out to be buzz underwater, which is also believed to belong to China. TO buzz Chinese characters that read the name were found from the Shenyang China Automation Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Existence buzz Under the sea belonging to other countries undoubtedly disturbs the security and national defense of Indonesia. The reason, buzz Underwater has strategic data logging capabilities.

A series of strategic data that can be recorded buzz underwater, including data on salinity, currents, temperature, and underwater contours.

Also read: 2 tons of fish stolen in Natuna, Vietnamese boat arrested by Bakamla

These data are very important for submarine operations that are the strategic armament of the navy, due to the silent nature of the operations and can enter behind enemy defense lines.

Knowing the salinity, currents and temperature at a depth will mainly affect the silence of the submarine.

Submarines can hide at one point because, under certain conditions, sonar signals are difficult to penetrate because they are refracted by salinity, currents, and temperature.

Quotation ABC News, Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy declared existence buzz This must be taken into account because it is on the main sea lane connecting the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean with the Australian mainland.

Not only Indonesia, India has also experienced a similar incident due to the discovery multiple times. buzz milk China in its territorial waters.

Also read: Story of the evacuation of a Chinese fishing boat in Natuna, which brought thousands of tons of mixed fish, escorted out of the EEZ

Indonesia is in the middle of a threat

Indonesia’s strategic geographic area also carries its own threats when it comes to technology. buzz under the sea is growing.

The existence of Indonesia amid the South China Sea conflict with the lack of a national defense budget, confuses us to balance the power of China and the United States (US) fighting there.

The threat is compounded by the depletion of the defense budget amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Quotation Kompas.id, Sunday (1/3/2021), after the reallocation based on Presidential Decree No. 54/2020 was made, the budget of the Ministry of Defense was reduced to Rp. 122 billion.

The defense budget for 2021 is 136.7 trillion IDR. From Book III of the Work Plans and Budget of the Association of Ministries / Institutions for fiscal year 2021, the allocation for the main team of the defense system (alutsista) is IDR 9.3 billion.

Although the development of the defense sector with Indonesia’s strategic geographical position is very important.

Therefore, the researcher in the field of energy and defense of the Purnomo Yusgiantoro Center, Akhmad Hanan, said that the Ministry of Defense needs to prepare special steps making a priority scale according to internal and external threats.

“It could also reduce the burden on staff spending, which currently represents more than 50 percent,” Hanan said, quoted by Kompas.id.

Meanwhile, a researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, Alman Helvas Ali, said that regarding budget constraints, the most current way to do this is through external loans.

It is a solution so that the acquisitions that are in sight can be fulfilled, that is, fighter jets, submarines and frigates.

“At least 12 fighters, submarines and frigates can be 5. All according to the request of the Defense Minister, a complete combat system, that is, complete weapons. The money is already there,” said Alman, who was also quoted of Kompas.id.

In addition to using foreign loans, Alman said, the top priority now is developing observation capabilities.

According to his calculations, 34 air defense radars are currently needed. Meanwhile, for the air, it is necessary to add maritime patrol aircraft. According to Alman, there is no budget to acquire underwater radars, especially in strategic straits.

“If it’s about building passive surveillance, of course it will be easier,” he said.

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This article was published in Kompas.id with the title “Drone” underwater finds and the challenge of building the defense of the archipelago