Indonesian Air Force Procures Eight More Fighter Aircrafts

Super Tucano. (Photo: Embraer)

January 27 2012, Yogyakarta: Eight fighter aircraft will be bought from Russia and Brazil in the near future to complement the main weaponry system of the Indonesian Air Force, the force’s chief, Air Marshal Imam Sufaat, said here Thursday.

"The eight fighter aircraft will consist of four Sukhois from Russia and four Super Tucanos from Brazil. The eight new aircraft will arrive in Indonesia in 2012-2014," he said.

According to Marshal Imam Sufaat, at a later stage of the procurement for major weaponry systems (defense equipment) the Air Force until 2024 will also buy six units of Sukhoi fighter aircraft, Super Tucano 16 units, T-50 from South Korea 16 units, and F-16 30 units.

"With this procurement of defense equipment the Indonesia Air Force in 2024 will have 180 combat aircraft. It is an effort of the Air Force to build its strength as well as modernizing and regenerating the defense equipment owned today."

The Marshal said many planes owned by the Indonesia Air Force is now aging at average of 30 years, so they needed rejuvenation. If they are replaced the treatment cost will be very high since there were some aircraft spare parts that are not provided because the factories that produced the aircrafts are no longer operating.

"Although some of the aircraft were not able to function optimally, we have maximized the combat aircraft to secure the territory of Indonesia from outside threats. It was also supported by the addition of defense equipment needed based on the calculation of aircraft and the number of runaway that can operate the combat aircraft," the Marshal Imam explained.

Source: KOMPAS

Two Sukhoi To Be Delivered This Year

January 17 2012, Jakarta: Two of six Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MK2 jet fighters ordered by the Indonesian government for its Air Force will be delivered later this year, Air Force Chief of Staff Imam Sufaat said.

"Two of the planes will be delivered in 2012, two in 2013 and two other in 2014," he said after attending a leadership meeting of the Defense Ministry here on Monday.

At present the Air Force has 10 Sukhoi jet fighters consisting of six Sukhoi SU-27SKM and four Sukhoi SU-30MK2. The air squadron of Sukhoi jet fighters is at Sultan Hasanuddin Airbase in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Source: ANTARA Bali

President Arrives With Escort Four F-16

F-16 A/B Indonesia Airforce. (Photo: Iswahjudi Base)

January 14 2012, Madiun: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ended his working visit to East Java and flew to Jakarta on Saturday noon with an escort of four F-16 jet fighters.

The president took off at the Air Force's Iswahjudi airbase at 12 am on a Boeing 737-800 airplane which flew him and his wife for about one hour and 10 minutes to Jakarta.

The President on Saturday morning made a stopover at Iswahjudi military airbase in Madiun en route to Jakarta after a four-day working visit to East Java from January 11-14, 2012, airbase spokesman Sutrisno said.

Earlier, the president arrived in Madiun at 6.30 pm local time on Friday evening after a four hour trip from his hometown Pacitan (East Java).

In Pacitan, the president held a dialog with cottage batik clothes producers and had a briefing with East Java Governor Soekarwo on the acceleration of development in the province. The president also inspected the 'Lestari' food resilience housing area there.

The president's visit to Pacitan was part of his four-day working visit to East Java.

Source: ANTARANews Bali

Indonesian Air Force Inspects Ballistic Missiles to Strengthen Air Defense

January 5 2012, Medan: The Medan National Air Defense Command (Kosekhanudnas) has inspected ballistic missiles abroad to foster the air defense in the area.

"The type of ballistic missiles are the KY-80," Medan Kosekhanudnas chief Vice Marshal Bonar Hutagaol said in Medan on Wednesday.

He said as a unit assigned in the western area, he was in need of ballistic missiles with the capacity to destroy aircraft and ballistic missiles fired by the enemy. Right now the number of ballistic missiles of the Medan Kosekhanudnas III were still enough like those being used by a number of Medium Air Defense Artillery Battalions (Arhanudse).

However, he still needed more ballistic missiles in anticipation of any eventualities. Therefore he made an inspection of the ballistic missiles in the Gobi dessert , China , which he said are very good and suitable to strengthen air defense in Indonesia.

The results of the inspection will be handed to the Military (TNI) Chief for making the necessary decisions. Then the results will be studied more deeply. "Then a decision will be made which are the best for Indonesia."

The supply for aircraft fighters had been depleting and Air Force Chief Marshal Imam Sufaat planned to build an essential force by 2025. Radars will be bought only for airbases still vacant like in Tanjung Pinang.

"The entire sector III (Medan) had already been covered."

Source: KOMPAS

Australia, RI Prepare for Transfer of C-130H Hercules

C-130H Hercules aircraft from 37 Squadron, RAAF Base Richmond fly over Melbourne in lead up to the Avalon Air Show 2009. (Photo: Australia DoD)

January 4 2012, Jakarta: The Australian and Indonesian governments are processing the transfer of four used Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules aircraft to the Indonesian Air Force this year, a defense ministry official said Tuesday.

Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Hartind Asrin told The Jakarta Post that representatives from the two countries would meet later this month in Jakarta to discuss about the hand over.

He said the two countries’ representatives would also meet in Australia to inspect the aircraft directly.

“We expect to sign a memorandum of understanding sometime in February to seal the hand over,” he said over the phone.

The US, as Hercules’ producer, has also approved the deal, according to Hartind.

Indonesia uses the Hercules not only for troop deployments but also for humanitarian missions.

In addition to C-130H model, Indonesia currently operates the much older C-130B model. Dating back to the 1960s, Indonesia was the first foreign user of the heavy tactical transport aircraft.

The Indonesian Air Force also operates a number of L-100s, the civilian version of the Hercules. Most of the C-130Bs are operated by the 32nd Squadron based at Abdulrahman Saleh Air Force Base in Malang, East Java while the C-130Hs are operated by the 31st Squadron based at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta. The 17th Squadron also operates one C-130H and one L-100.

Australia operates the newer C-130J Super Hercules model.

In April 2007, Australia donated a cache of surplus spare parts worth Rp 2.8 billion (US$304,000 in 2007) to Indonesia. The spare parts were for the C-130E model being decommissioned in Australia, but were compatible with the C-130H.

Indonesia is also working with the US on a grant of 24 Lockheed F-16A/B Fighting Falcon jet fighters. The aircraft will be upgraded from the Block 25 standard to the Block 32 standard.

Currently Indonesia has 10 F-16A/B with the Block 15 operational capability upgrade (OCU) standard, based at the Iswahjudi Air Force Base in Madiun, East Java.

In addition to acquiring secondhand aircraft from foreign air forces, Indonesia is also buying new ones.

The Defense Ministry and the Air Force have confirmed the purchase of six Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30MKKs to enforce the 11th Squadron based at Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base in Makassar, South Sulawesi, worth US$480 million.

State-owned aircraft maker PT Dirgantara is working with Spanish-based Airbus Military to supply nine NC-295 medium transport aircraft worth $320 million.

Other procurement programs include 16 KAI T-50 Golden Eagle advanced trainers, worth $400 million, from South Korea, and eight Embraer E-314 Super Tucano counter-insurgency aircraft from Brazil.

Source: the Jakarta Post

Australia To Grant Four Hercules Planes To Indonesia

Marking 50 years of service with the Royal Australian Air Force, two C-130J (1 hidden) and a C-130H Hercules fly in formation along the South-East coast of NSW. Mid Caption; The RAAF celebrated 50 years of operating the C-130 Hercules. This milestone was marked at RAAF base Richmond with a family day for 37 Squadron members and their families, followed by an evening 'Hangar Bash' for past and present members of the RAAF Hercules community. (Photo: Australia DoD)

January 3 2012, Jakarta: The Australian government is expected to grant four C-130 Hercules planes to Indonesia as the technical teams from the two countries may meet in the middle of this January, Spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Hartind Asrin, told ANTARA here Tuesday.

The two teams are expected to discuss technical matters on giving the grant, he said, adding that the grant was earlier expected to be given in 2011, Hartind said.

Besides in Jakarta, the teams would also meet in Australia to directly inspect the four Hercules aircraft. The Australian grant has been approved by theUS as the producer of Hercules, Hartind said.

Meanwhile, planning assistant to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Rodi Suprasodjo, said the Indonesian Air Force needs 30 units of Hercules aircraft and now it has only 21.

The grant will bring the existing number and the rest will be met by buying the aircraft. "The 30 Hercules planes will include two units of aircraft tanks, two units of VIP aircraft and 26 operational aircraft for two battalions," he said.

Rodi said the one that will be granted is Type H which will be used by the Indonesian Air Force to replace Type B which has become already too old.

RAAF C-130Hs gifted to Indonesia

Australia will donate four C-130H Hercules transports to Indonesia in a deal announced this weekend at the Asia-Pacific summit in Bali.

The quartet of ex-RAAF aircraft, worth about $30 million, will be tabbed for humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in announcing the deal. Australia also announced plans to send three high-speed naval boats to patrol Indonesian waters in a bid to combat people smugglers.

The C-130Hs were due to be sold on the open market and reportedly require about $25 million in maintenance before they’re ready to fly.

The move came as Gillard sought to allay regional concerns over Australia’s growing military ties with the US. The White House two days earlier announced plans to sell Indonesia 24 refurbished F-16 fighters.

Source: ANTARA Bali/Australian Aviation

Indonesia Plans 180 Flankers Plus F-16s

Sukhoi fighters and F16 Fighting Falcons of the Indonesian Airforce participate in the anniversary of the Indonesian Airforce in Jakarta on April 9, 2010. The defense forces are celebrating the 64th anniversary of the airforce in Indonesia. (Photo: Getty Images)

September 30, 2010, Beijing -- Indonesia intends to acquire 180 Sukhoi Flankers and also to buy Lockheed Martin F-16s, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro says, setting out plans for a massive expansion of the Southeast Asian country’s air combat force.

If Indonesia is serious about buying 180 Flankers, then Canberra will almost certainly fund the Royal Australian Air Force’s plan for 100 Lockheed Martin F-35s, says Andrew Davies, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Until now, there was a significant chance that Australia would buy fewer F-35s.

The Sukhoi fleet will be built up by 2024, with 18 aircraft in each of 10 squadrons, Purnomo says. F-16s will replace BAE Systems Hawks, the government’s Antara news agency says in a report carrying Purnomo’s statement.

If the country does buy 180 Flankers and if it can operate them efficiently — two big ifs — then it will have transformed an air force that now has negligible combat capability.

Indonesia has been operating its current small force of Flankers, a mix of Su-27s and Su-30s, with poor levels of efficiency and availability. Analysts believe that its nine Northrop F-5s are in worse shape. Eight of 12 F-16As and Bs ordered in the 1980s are grounded.

The delivery of three Flankers this week took the force of that type to 10. The government previously said it would buy an additional six.

“To defend our nation’s sovereignty, we have set a target to procure 180 Sukhoi jet fighters to form 10 squadrons,” Purnomo reportedly says.

Besides Australia, the Indonesian buildup also would cause concerns in Singapore and Malaysia, according to Davies, although Leonard Sebastian, a Singapore-based specialist on Indonesia, thinks that Indonesia’s neighbors, including Australia, will not react too strongly.

The Indonesian air force is “pretty weak on human resources — not just the pilots but also the support personnel,” Sebastian says, doubting that the country could operate the Flanker force efficiently.

There is less doubt that it can buy them, he adds. Indonesia has been enjoying strong mineral prices stoked by Chinese demand. And building up the air force, rather than the army, would accord with the country’s policy of creating armed forces that are more technically advanced and professional.

The minister says the strength of the Indonesian economy is helping the government pay for its arms program.

Davies, who thinks Indonesia eventually will have a large number of Flankers but not as many as 180, points out that countries across Southeast Asia are focusing increasingly on advanced military technology.

Purnomo does not say how many F-16s Indonesia wants, but the country is operating six Hawk 100 trainers and 20 Hawk 200 light attack aircraft. Two years ago the government said it wanted to buy a squadron of F-16s between 2010 and 2014.

Any further F-16s may be secondhand. The defense ministry said in July that the U.S. was offering surplus fighters at low prices.

For imports of new weapons, Indonesia will insist on technology transfer and 40% of production work, Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin says.

AVIATION WEEK

Minister : RI Plants to have 180 Sukhois in 10 Squadrons

(Photo: Indonesia Airforce)

September 27, 2010, Makassar, South Sulawesi - Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro has said that his ministry plans to have 180 Sukhois by developing 10 squadrons, to guard the country.

"To defend our country's sovereignty, we have set a target to have 180 Sukhoi jet fighters by developing 10 squadrons," Minister Purnomo, who was accompanied Chief of the Air Force Marshall Imam Sufaat, said here Monday.

Each squadron will have 18 Sukhois, he said.

The defense ministry in its strategic working plan has also to buy F-16 Fighting Falcons to replace Australia-made Hawks.

Indonesia is expected to acquire 180 Sukhois by 2024, according to the minister.

Russia has expressed its readiness to supply as many Sukhois as Indonesia needs, he said.

"With the improving national economic condition, it will help the government in acquiring weapons to strengthen the national defense," he said.

Three Russian-made Sukhoi jet fighter planes was expected to be handed over officially to Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro in Makassar, on Monday.

After the arrival of one unit of Sukhoi jet fighter, the Air Force's Squadron 11 at Hassanuddin airbase would have a fleet of 10 Sukhoi jet fighter planes imported from Russia.

Previously, on Friday (Sept 9), two Sukhois had arrived at the Air Force base in Makassar.

In 2003, Indonesia purchased two Sukhois of the SU-30 MK type and two of the SU-27SK type. Later, the Defense Ministry bought six Sukhois in 2007 worth US$300 million, or Rp2.85 trillion.

The six purchased Sukhois consisted of three SU-30MK2s and three SU-30SKM. Three SU-30MK2s arrived in Makassar in 2008 and 2009.

With the arrivals of three more Sukhois, Indonesia has one squadron of Sukhois.

(ANTARA News)

RI still to send Sukhoi pilots to China for training

Two Sukhoi Su-27SKM fighter jets are displayed during a handover ceremony at an airbase in Makassar, South Sulawesi province September 27, 2010. The Russian-made aircraft, included one other, are the last of ten SU-27 jets delivered to the Indonesia Air Force. (Photo: Reuters)

September 29, 2010, Beijing - Indonesia will continue training its Sukhoi pilots in China, Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said here on Tuesday.

"Well, this has become part of the Air Force`s development program and so it will be continued," he said on the sidelines of his working visit.

He said China has a simulator for Sukhoi fighter jet pilots as it is also one of the aircraft`s users and now also starting to produce the Russian figher planes.

"Indonesia as a Sukhoi user certainly has an interest in developing its pilots. It so happens that China has a simulator for it and so we will take the opportunity," he said.

On a separate occasion, planning assistant to the Air Force chief of staff, Rear Marshal Erry Biatmoko, said the Indonesian Air Force still had no plan to send more Sukhoi pilots to China.

"No, we will not as yet send our pilots to China to improve their capability in operating Sukhois," he said.
Indonesia early in September 2010 strengthened its airforce with three more Sukhoi SU-27SKMs making the total number of the fighters to 10 of SU-30MK, SU-27SK, SU-30MKM and SU-27SKM. The last second are of the fourth Sukhoi generation.

With the additional units of Sukhoi however the Indonesian airforce will not as yet increase the number of its Sukhoi pilots.

(ANTARA News)

The Indonesian airforce has earlier sent 16 Sukhoi pilots to improve their capability in China.