Jakarta, Aug. 19 -- Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has said that Indonesia has taken a step closer to self-reliance in the maintenance of primary weapons systems (alutsista).

The progress was marked by the success of PT Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia (GMF) in carrying out heavy maintenance for the Indonesian Air Force's C-130H Hercules transport aircraft.

"Today marks a starting point showing the modernization of transport aircraft owned by the Indonesian Air Force," Sjamsoeddin said at a press conference during the handover of the Hercules C-130H A-1319 aircraft from GMF to the Defense Ministry here on Wednesday.

According to Sjamsoeddin, this success came about through a technology transfer partnership between PT GMF and...