Peru’s Minister of Defense, Walter Astudillo, has referred to the shift in the modernization program of the equipment of the Peruvian Armed Forces. The official has ratified the decision to move away from isolated purchases of weapons systems and military equipment to concentrate on the promotion of the local defense industry, under the leadership of SIMA Peru, Seman Peru and FAME.
According to the minister, this will generate skills, knowledge, technologies and will favor the creation of high-skilled jobs in the country, and national economic growth. Astudillo’s statements took place at the event Investment Opportunities in Projects in Assets, organized by the Private Investment Promotion Agency (Proinversión).
“The Armed Forces need an adequate budget to have capabilities that allow them to fulfill their role; however, for many decades, to be exact more than four decades, no significant investments have been made to maintain the operational capacity of the ’70s. That has put us in a very complicated situation of defenselessness,” said Minister Astudillo.
Referring to the government’s renewed support for military modernization, Astullido said that in the last year, thanks to a political decision by the current government, important steps have been taken. “The strategy that has been implemented involves strengthening the industry for Defense, not embarking on purchases or bidding processes that were often truncated,” he said.
In addition, the Minister of Defense added that it is expected that the next governments will continue with this process to have a first-rate Navy in the coming decades. The Peruvian Air Force is following the same path. “The Seman company is manufacturing parts, 253 if I am not mistaken, that are for a type of FA-50 aircraft, all in an agreement that has been signed with world leading companies,” he said.
Astudillo stressed that FAME is assembling ARAD assault rifles with Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) and has now launched the process of eventual co-manufacture of armored vehicles with Hyundai Rotem. Saab has also managed to place its CB-90 combat speedboats and Escribano Mechanical & Engineering has done the same with its naval stations of remote action weapons.