The Indonesia Military (TNI) on June 1 began a combined military drillwith the involvement of all the army, navy and air forces in Asembagus,East Java province, and Bali.

Attending the inauguralceremony were President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Defence MinisterPurnomo Yusgiantoro, Army Chief of Staff General Budiman, Air ForceChief of Staff Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia and Navy Chief of StaffAdmiral Marsetio.

Minister Yusgiantoro said the five-dayexercise aims to examine and improve the combined strength of the threemilitary corps as well as their coordination in performing joint tasks,especially in dealing with any emergency.

The weapons used inthe drill include 18 Scorpion tanks, six Stormer APC tanks, two StormerKomando tanks, two Saladin armored cars, two Saracen armored carriers,two Ferret-armored vehicles and 12 Anoa armored vehicles.

The TNIalso displays and uses 24 helicopters including four MI-35Phelicopters, four MI-17 V5 helicopters, four BO-105 helicopters, 10Bell-412 helicopters, two Bell-205A-1 and various armaments.

General Moeldoko, commander of the drill, emphasised the specialimportance of the event in the context that Indonesia is speeding up itsplan to modernise the military and building the national defencestrength by 2025.-VNA