Defence ministry signs deal to secure Indonesian military equipment

Ghana's defence ministry has signed an agreement with Indonesian military equipment company PT Pindad to explore the procurement of weapons and equipment for the Ghana Armed Forces as well as after-sales services which include training and the establishment of physical facilities.

Among the items the ministry was interested in included firearms, tactical military vehicles and amphibious vehicles as well as engineering vehicles such as excavators, reports the official website of the West Java Province of Indonesia.

A Letter of Intent was signed in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 22 November by the Managing Director of PT Pindad Abraham Mose with the Ghana Ministry of Defence represented by Chief Director, Dr Evans A Dzikum.

Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul, who was also in Jakarta, is reported to have expressed interest and commitment in buying defence and industrial products produced by Pindad as well as collaborating on joint development of defence products.

The day before the agreement was signed, Nitiwul visited PT Pindad’s production facilities and explored the Excava Amphibious amphibious excavator, Komodo 4×4 armoured personnel carrier, Anoa 6×6 armoured personnel carrier, and Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT).

“For 16 years, bilateral relations between Indonesia and Ghana have been very well established, for this reason this visit was carried out more specifically to find out more about Indonesia’s defence industry,” Nitiwul said.

Managing Director of PT Pindad Abraham Mose said his company was ready to support the defence needs of Ghana including the supply of equipment, establishing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and after-sales services including training and facilities, as well as technology transfer.

Some of the equipment explored by the ministry include light weapons such as pistol, assault rifle, submachine gun, machine gun, tactical vehicles and tire wheel combat vehicles, chain wheel combat vehicles and amphibian vehicles, heavy equipment including 20-ton excavators, amphibian excavators, 5-ton excavators, and other industrial products.

Click on Photos to see the ministry's tour of the Indonesian military equipment company.