TNI Using Locally-Made Bombs: Weapons Firm

17 Juli 2010

P-100 bomb for Sukhoi Su-27/Su-30 (all photos : Sari Bahari)

PT Sari Bahari, a small private company in Malang, is successfully making bombs for the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) fighter jets and rockets for its helicopters, with materials completely procured from local sources, says an official.

News of the company’s success in the local production of certified war weaponry was made public during a visit by Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro to the company’s plant this week.

Since 2008, the 57 employees of PT Sari Bahari have supplied P100-120 bombs to the Indonesian Air Force for use with its Russian-made SU-27SK and SU-30MK fighter aircraft. The munitions are also said to be suitable for NATO warplanes, such as the F-5E Tiger.

P100-120 bombs are used for practice. Another model, the P100-120L, is intended for combat use.

“The weapons have been tested successfully and we await their certification,” PT Sari Bahari president director Ricky Hendrick Egam told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Sari Bahari also manufactures 70mm rockets that have not yet been certified by the Air Force’s Research and Devlopment Division.

Ricky said Malaysian Air Force had planned to order 1,000 P100-120 bombs.

“The Malaysian Air Force has bee using live bombs for practices. That’s very costly,” he said.

During a test, a Sukhoi jet fighter released a P100-120 bomb while flying at 1524 meters at 833 kilometers per hour.

The Indonesian Air Force requires more than 700 units of practice bombs every year, according to reports.

Ricky said the P100-120s were far cheaper than imported Russian bombs. Russian munitions cost US$4,000 per unit — which is enough to buy three of four of Sari Bahari’s bombs, he added.

The bombs are 1.13 meters long, 27.3 centimeters wide and can weigh up to 56 kilograms. The P100-120’s body is made of nodular iron materials and its slug, which is the hook connected to the aircraft, is made of steel. The tail is made of ST-37.

Another Malang-based company, PT Pindad Turen fills P100-120 bomb canisters with explosives for Sari Bahari.

Purnomo hailed the company’s ability in making bombs and hoped that this would reduce Indonesia’s dependency on imports.

(The Jakarta Post)