Indonesia's armed forces will put mothballed equipment back into operation following a funding increase.

The armed forces – battling a separatist insurgency in Aceh province and religious unrest in Central Sulawesi and the Malukus – have complained that budget limitations have forced many ships and aircraft out of service.

Armed forces commander, General Endriartono Sutarto, says the supplementary funds approved by a legislative committee will help address that problem.

Reports from Jakarta say that only 30 per cent of the navy's 117 ships and 45 per cent of the air force's 220 planes are operational. General Sutarto did not specify what equipment will come back into service, but agreed that aircraft and ships were needed.