Book Description

Happy to meet again, Armory Reborn friends! May you all always be healthy, happy and enthusiastic. This September is a special month. Indonesia is hosting the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, 5-7 September 2023. As Chair of ASEAN this year, Indonesia carries the theme ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth. This theme underlines ASEAN's important role for the regional and world economy. This ASEAN Summit was not only attended by ASEAN leaders. But also present were the leaders of partner countries, such as China, India, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, the Russian Federation and the United States. Last August, President Jokowi also attended the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. However, Indonesia still seems to be considering the pros and cons of joining BRICS. Indonesia's position is increasingly central in world economics and geopolitics. Indonesia's central position in the Southeast Asia region is related to the legacy that US President Joe Biden will leave behind. The US presidential election will take place in 2024. However, as his term draws to a close, Biden still has not demonstrated a solid strategy to attract many Asian countries, especially Southeast Asia, to the US camp. In the economic realm, the US does not have an effective strategy to counter China's influence in Southeast Asian countries. US hegemony also faces serious challenges with the increasing multipolar world order, namely the BRICS. Meanwhile, Indonesia is currently facing a potential crisis that must be mitigated, namely the rice crisis. India's action to stop rice exports, coupled with a decrease in food production due to the El Nino phenomenon and climate change in Southeast Asian countries, could threaten Indonesia's food security. For those of you who are fond of weapons technology, we provide articles about the various combat aircraft that will be acquired by Indonesia, such as the Rafale and F-15EX. These 4.5 generation aircraft are compared to the F-35 Lightning II, the 5.0 generation aircraft that is the US mainstay. Apart from that, there are other articles. For example, an article about the United States election. There is an assessment of Republican Party cadres who might run and compete in the US presidential election. We hope that Armory, Reborn friends can enjoy it. Satrio Arismunandar Editor in chief