141 Bodies Retrieved from Hercules C-130 Crash Site

Jakarta Globe, Arnold Sianturi, Jul 01, 2015

Medan. Search and rescue workers have retrieved 141 bodies from the wreckage of a military plane that crashed in Medan, North Sumatra, on Tuesday, with many more feared dead and still trapped beneath the debris.

Forensics experts have identified 23 military personnel out of the 141 bodies pulled from the site, where a Hercules C-130 military transport aircraft crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff on Tuesday.

“The bodies have been evacuated to Adam Malik General Hospital in Medan,” Sr. Comr. Setyo, the forensics chief at the North Sumatra Police, said on Wednesday.

“There were identity cards and names on the victims’ uniforms so they were recognized quickly,” he said of the 23 bodies identified so far, adding that four of the bodies had already been handed over to their families.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) has launched an investigation to determine whether the aircraft had been used for civilian transport purposes, a rent-seeking practice common in areas underserved by commercial air links.

An initial probe suggests the plane’s operators had indeed been ferrying passengers for money.

“We can confirm that soldiers’ family members were on board; their wives and children, but if there were other people who paid for the trip we will seek responsibility from the unit’s commander,” a military official said.

The Lockheed C-130 Hercules, a four-engine turboprop military transportation plane carrying 12 crew members and 109 passengers, crashed two minutes after taking off from the Soewondo air base on Tuesday afternoon, killing everyone on board as well as people on the ground.

Military Pulls Out of AirAsia 8501 Recovery Effort

Jakarta Globe, Jan 27, 2015

The Indonesian Military (TNI) said on Tuesday that it plans to end its participation
 in AirAsia Flight QZ8501 recovery operations, a day after its attempt to raise the
 downed plane’s fuselage from the bottom of the Java Sea failed. The civilian search
 and rescue agency (Basarnas) said it may continue its efforts, which will be limited
without the Navy’s help. (AFP Photo/Adek Berry)

Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan. Indonesia’s military on Tuesday halted search and recovery efforts for an AirAsia passenger jet that crashed last month killing all 162 people on board, navy officials said.

“The operation has been ongoing for 30 days so the joint team has been pulled out,” Rear Adm. Widodo, head of the navy’s western fleet, told reporters. “We apologize to the families of the victims. We tried our best to look for the missing victims.”

The Airbus A320-200 vanished from radar screens on Dec. 28, less than half way into a two-hour flight from Surabaya to Singapore. There were no survivors. Seventy bodies have been recovered.

The flight recorders have also been retrieved and are being analyzed. Days of rough weather and poor visibility have hampered navy divers’ efforts to find more bodies and recover the fuselage of the plane. Widodo said no more victims had been found by divers involved in the search for the past two days.

Since Saturday, salvage teams have been using giant inflatable bags to try to raise the fuselage of the Airbus A320-200, which is lying in the sea at a depth of around 30 meters. At one point, they managed to lift the main body to the surface for two minutes before a sling holding it snapped.

Video showing images of the fuselage dragging against the military recovery boat’s deck, then ripping and tumbling back to the bottom of the sea, raised concern among observers that vital clues about what caused the crash may have been destroyed in the failed attempt to raise the fuselage.

The civilian National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) said on Tuesday it may press on with the search for bodies. But its efforts will be hampered by the loss of the military’s large vessels and heavy recovery equipment.

“Perhaps we will do regular operations with help from fishermen and communities near the coast to find other victims,” said Tatang Zaenuddin, Basarnas’s deputy of operations. The agency will hold a news conference on Wednesday.

Imam Sampurno, who lost four family members on Flight QZ8501, none of whom has been found, said he was resigned to their fate. “We can only hope they will continue to search, but if it’s stopped there is nothing I can do about it. I am resigned to it,” he said.

Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) will submit its initial findings on the crash this week to the International Civil Aviation Organization. The preliminary report, which the ICAO requires within 30 days of an accident, will include “information on the plane, the number of passengers and other information like that,” NTSC investigator Suryanto said.

But it  will not include analysis from the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, both of which were recovered by divers from the bottom of the Java Sea.

Data from radar and the aircraft’s two “black box” flight recorders will provide investigators with a clearer picture of what occurred during the final minutes of the flight. But investigators say they have yet to start their analysis, as they have been compiling other data for the inquiry.

Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan told a parliamentary hearing last week that, based on radar data, the plane had climbed faster than normal in its final minutes, and then stalled. Investigators have found no evidence of foul play.

The NTSC will hold an annual media conference this week on its work over the past year but it is not expected to discuss details of its investigation of the AirAsia crash, NTSC head Tatang Kurniadi said.  The final report on the crash, which will be made public, must be filed within a year.

Former Garuda Indonesia captain Shadrach M. Nababan, said that based on the crashed plane’s logbook data, the Airbus A320-200 serving AirAsia flight QZ8501 had experienced problems with its auto rudder trim limiter as many as nine times in 2014, as reported by Tempo.co. Three days before crashing on December 25, 2014, flight QZ8501 was forced to “return to apron” twice, according to Shadrach, although it is not clear if the reason for the plane’s forced return was related to rudder trim trouble.

Reuters & AFP

Indonesian Air Force Eying Russian Jet to Combat Illegal Fishing

Jakarta Globe, Dec 22, 2014

A version of the Beriev plane the Indonesian Air Force wants to buy.
(Photo Courtesy of Beriev Aircraft Company)

Jakarta. The Indonesian Air Force says it will buy Russian-designed multipurpose amphibious aircraft to help prevent illegal fishing in the country’s waters.

“This Beriev Be-200 Altair is very reliable to monitor aquatic areas. The amphibious aircraft can land on the sea so it can help us catch illegal fishermen,” Marshall Ida Bagus Putu Dunia, the chief of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU), told reporters in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by state-run news agency Antara.

“President Joko Widodo has agreed with the plan to buy the aircraft,” he added.

The Beriev Be-200 is designed by the Beriev Aircraft Company and manufactured by Irkut Corporation, another Russian company. It can be used for firefighting, search and rescue, and maritime patrols. The aircraft is able to drop 12,000 liters of water or transport up to 72 passengers.

It was not immediately clear how many planes would be bought, and how much the deal was worth.

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Indonesian Bureaucracy Grounded MH370 Search Flights, Military Pledges ‘Fullest Support’

Jakarta Globe, Harry Jacques & Josua Gantan, Mar 19, 2014

Students stand next to a giant mural featuring missing Malaysia Airlines flight
 MH370 displayed on the grounds of their school in Manila’s financial district of
Makati on March 18, 2014. (AFP Photo)

Jakarta. International search efforts for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 hit a setback after Indonesia failed to give clearance for six foreign aircraft to fly over national airspace into the Indian Ocean on Tuesday in spite of assurances that Indonesia’s armed forces had extended its ”fullest support” to the continuing search.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) issued approval for search planes to fly through national airspace earlier this week, but delays in subsequent sign-offs by the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs forced three countries’ search flights to remain grounded in Malaysia, testing relations between two countries well used to locking diplomatic horns.

“For the flight permits to be given out, there needed to be approvals from three different government institutions — the defense ministry, the transportation ministry, and the foreign affairs ministry,” TNI spokesman Rear Adm. Iskandar Sitompul told the Jakarta Globe. “Government institutions other than the TNI had to work on this, too, so the permit was stuck.”

Some 26 countries have banded together since March 8 to search for the missing Boeing 777-200ER over a search area spanning some 22 million square nautical miles, and Indonesia has assumed an important role as the gateway country out of Malaysia to one of two search areas. The southern corridor begins west of Banda Aceh and takes in a vast arc past Western Australia into some of the most remote expanse of the Indian Ocean with an average water depth of around 4,000 meters.

“It probably is the largest peacetime armada of assets and satellite information-sharing that we have ever seen for a rescue and search operation,” Malaysia’s Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said, as quoted by Reuters.

The Indonesian government has so far lent 11 assets to the ongoing search, according to the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia.

“We have one aircraft — a Boeing 727-200 from the TNI Air Force,” Ambassador Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim told the Jakarta Globe. “We have one Cassa C-212 aircraft, which belongs to the Navy, and five ships also from the Navy.

“We also have one helicopter and three rescue boats from the National Search and Rescue Agency. That’s what we have on record.”

The BBC reported on Tuesday that the southern search had been hampered after the central government banned six planes from flying over Indonesian territory.

Four aircraft from the Japanese Self Defense Force, including Hercules and P-3 Orion planes, as well as a South Korean P-3 Orion and a US P-3 Orion were grounded in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

“We were supposed to take off 7 or 8 hours ago originally to head out over the Indian Ocean south of Java and to search a grid pattern for signs of the missing Malaysian airline,” Rupert Wingfield Hayes, a senior BBC reporter in Kuala Lumpur, said on Tuesday. “All of these aircraft are sitting on the ground.

“There is no search, no aerial search anyway, going on from Malaysia [on Tuesday]. The reason for that is that we have been waiting all day for the Indonesian government to give the foreign military aircraft permission to overfly it’s territory and it simply has not come.”

The Malaysian Embassy’s First Secretary Khairul Tazril Tarmizi would not be drawn on the delay in granting clearance, saying on Wednesday only that the Malaysian government’s position regarding Indonesia’s cooperation remained unchanged.

“Indonesia has been fully cooperative,” Tazril told the Jakarta Globe. “The ambassador’s view is still the same as [on Tuesday].”

The State Palace said it was unaware of the issue when contacted on Wednesday, adding that it would be discussed at a meeting later in the day. But according to Rear Adm. Iskandar, the TNI had tried to expedite the permits. The delay in allowing the six aircraft to take off was a consequence of the labyrinthine bureaucracy of other government bodies, he said.

‘Fullest support’

“We want to get things straight — they [the grounded planes] have received their permits from the TNI,” Iskandar said. “It is incorrect to say that the TNI did not give them the permits. This is a humanitarian problem and it is only right that we help as fast as we could.  The TNI’s principle is that we will give our fullest support. You can see that we sent five warships to the Malacca Strait to help.”

Indonesian Naval commander Adm. Marsetio spoke with his counterpart in the Malaysian Navy, Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz, and dispatched the five ships to the Strait of Malacca on Mar. 9.

“[The Mar. 18 flights] were just delayed, we did not reject the permits,” Iskandar said. “There is a mechanism; it was just a bureaucratic problem. We never intend to slow down the process. Please get this right, the TNI never intended to make the process difficult.”

The Indonesian armed forces said there should be no additional overfly clearance issues as the search continued.

“I have checked this with the intelligence, all the grounded flights have been granted access,” Iskandar said. “By now, they can operate.”

 

A Chinese family member of a passenger on board the missing Malaysia Airlines
 Flight MH370 is brought into a room outside the media conference area at a
hotel in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Mar. 19, 2014. (Reuters Photo)

Background checks

While Indonesia’s nebulous bureaucracy grounded search flights from taking off from Malaysia to search into the southern corridor on Tuesday, the Malaysian government said there had been no holdup in Indonesia’s willingness to supply background information held by the country’s intelligence agency on the seven Indonesian passengers on flight MH370.

The passenger manifest lists the Indonesian travelers as Firman Siregar, 25; Ferryindra Suadaya, 42; Herryindra Suadaya, 35; Lo Sugianto, 42; Indrasuria Tanurisam, 57; Vinny Chynthyatio, 47 and Willy Surijanto Wang, 53.

Only Russia and Ukraine had failed to hand over the results of background checks conducted by national intelligence agencies on Wednesday, according to a tweet by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. The countries that did submit reports of their nationals abroad MH370 found nothing suspicious in their investigations.

Indonesian National Police chief Gen. Sutarman, center, addresses a press
 conference in Jakarta on March 19, 2014, clearing seven Indonesian passengers
 on board the missing Malaysia Airlines passenger jet of terrorism links. (JG
Photo/Ezra Sihite)

Sidney Jones, a leading expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia and director of the Jakarta-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, told Reuters on March 16 that she would be ”extremely surprised if any group from Indonesia, the Philippines or Malaysia itself would be directly involved.” A subsequent statement from the Indonesian National Police ruled out any involvement in terrorism by any of the seven Indonesian passengers.

“None of the seven passengers have been involved in a banned organization.” National Police chief Gen. Sutarman said at the State Palace on Wednesday. ”We will give full support… so that Malaysia can have access to the information.”

Malaysian officials in Indonesia said they were working with the Indonesian intelligence agency to conduct further background checks on the seven Indonesian passengers.

“The screening of the passengers’ background is being done by the police, Interpol and the CIA,” Zahrain said.  They are all involved — it’s an international issue. Indonesia has been cooperative in this.”

Cabinet meeting

The Malaysian Prime Minister and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono spoke on the phone earlier this week to discuss cooperation efforts, while defense minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that a meeting of the cabinet chaired by the president was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Wednesday to further discuss the search for MH370.

The outcome of this meeting could not be confirmed by deadline.

Purnomo told reporters on Wednesday that Indonesia had not detected MH370 on either its civilian or military radar systems.

“[On the morning of Mar. 8] we did not get detection from any of our radars,” Purnomo said. “There was no detection of any strange plane; there was none.”

Despite the delay in allowing six aircraft to leave their stands in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, the Malaysian government said that it remained satisfied by cooperation with Jakarta.

“The search will continue until we find the plane,” the Malaysian ambassador said. “How long that takes, I don’t know — we don’t know where the aircraft is. The best thing now is to pray.”

—Additional reporting by Reuters

The family of MH370 passenger Firman Chandra Siregar watch television
at their house in Medan, North Sumatra, on March 9, 2014. (EPA Photo)

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Indonesian Military Aircraft Crashes Near East Jakarta Airport

Jakarta Globe, Camelia Pasandaran, June 21, 2012

(Kompas.com/Robertus Bellarminus)

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A Fokker 27 airplane operated by the Indonesian Military (TNI) crashed near Halim Perdana Kusuma Airport in East Jakarta on Thursday.

It is not clear yet how many people were onboard the aircraft, but local TV station Metro TV reported that the plane crashed onto eight houses in a neighborhood near the airport, which is a base of the Indonesian Air Force. The houses were reportedly torched.

The plane reportedly had problems while trying to land.

“Yes, it’s true, there is accident with a Fokker 27 plane at Rajawali Complex, the Indonesian Air Force housing, in Halim,” the spokesman of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Gagah Prakoso, told The Jakarta Globe on Thursday.

“I’m not sure yet how many victims are, but it just happened at 2:45 p.m.”

Fire engines and ambulances have been dispatched to the location on Jalan Branjangan in Rajawali housing complex near Halim Perdanakusumah Airport.

Fokker f-27: (Kompas.com/Doc. TNI AU)

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U.S, Indonesia Agree on F-16 Transfer

U.S. Department of Defense, by Karen Parrish, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2011 – The U.S. and Indonesian presidents issued a joint statement today from Bali, Indonesia, reaffirming their deepening engagement and announcing the planned transfer and upgrade of 24 Excess Defense Article F-16s to the Indonesian air force.

President Barack Obama is in Indonesia participating in the East Asia Summit. The summit has occurred annually since 2005, following the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders’ meeting. The United States and Russia participated in the summit for the first time this year.

Obama’s joint statement with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono today noted the two leaders affirm the summit is the region’s premier forum for leaders to discuss strategic political and security issues.

According to a White House fact sheet, Indonesia’s addition of 24 F-16s will allow that nation’s government to significantly bolster air defense capacity without compromising the defense budget and other national priorities.

The fact sheet notes that when the regeneration is complete, the aircraft will be updated with advanced modular mission computers, improved radar and avionics, and the capability to carry and field more advanced weaponry and sensors. At least 30 Indonesian pilots will receive F-16 training in the United States, and mobile training teams from the United States will train Indonesian aircraft maintainers.

According to the fact sheet, the Defense Department is currently working with the Indonesian Ministry of Defense to develop a letter of offer and acceptance for the 24 aircraft while awaiting completion of the final required congressional notification. The notification is expected to be complete and the offer and acceptance letter ready to be signed in early 2012.

The U.S. government is working to begin delivery of aircraft by July 2014, as requested by the government of Indonesia.

The new agreement represents the largest transfer of defense articles in the history of the U.S.-Indonesia bilateral relationship, the fact sheet said.

The joint statement also reflected discussion between the two countries on issues including human rights, clean energy, education, climate change and environmental projects.

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Plane Forced to Land For Flying Without Permission

Jakarta Globe, Rahmat, March 07, 2011

Makassar. A charter plane headed for Malaysia was forced to land in Sulawesi on Monday for flying over Indonesia without proper permission.

The plane landed at Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport in Makassar, South Sulawesi, at 1.50 p.m. on Monday.

The were 49 passengers, all of which are Pakistani policemen who are serving in East Timor as part of the peacekeeping troops, and five crew members on board. They have been questioned by the authorities.

First Air Marshal Agus Supriatna, the commander of the airport, said the plane was a Boeing 737-300 owned by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).

“The airport radar detected the plane at 12 a.m. and the crew didn’t communicate with the control tower,” Agus told the Jakarta Globe.

He instructed a Sukhoi plane to chase the Boeing and force it to land at the airport.

“The plane landed at 1.50 p.m. It was piloted by Captain Tariq Khalil ur Rehman Awan,” he said, adding the plane took off from Dili, East Timor, and was headed for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The plane allegedly flew over Indonesia without fulfilling three requirements — namely diplomatic clearance, security clearance and flight approval.

“Every plane planning to fly over a foreign country must meet these three requirements,” Agus said.

The plane was parked at the airport while the crew and passengers were questioned by the airport authority, immigration and officials from the Indonesian Air Force.

“We have filed a report to the Malaysian Embassy, the Foreign Ministry and the Transportation Ministry to help the plane fulfill the clearances,” Agus said.

Related Article:

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U.S. reaffirms maintenance for Indonesian F-16 fleet

English.news.cn 2011-01-05 00

JAKARTA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) - The United State has reaffirmed its pledge in securing the service and maintenance works on F-16 fighter jet planes operated by Indonesian air forces, an Indonesian official said here on Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting between Indonesia Air Forces Chief Marshall Imam Sufaat and former commander of U.S. fleet in Asia Pacific region Gen. (ret.) William J. Beggert, Indonesian Air Forces Spokesman Rear Marshall Bambang Samoedro conveyed that U.S. service and maintenance works on Indonesia's F- 16 planes have been resuming well after the U.S. embargo on such services was lifted in November 2005.

"They have been helping us in monitoring and checking the parts of our F-16 fleet in the last three years," Bambang said.

William J. Beggert now is the vice president of Business Development and Aftermarket Sales and Services at Pratt & Whitney.

Bambang said that teams from U.S. jet engine firm Pratt & Whitney came to Indonesia twice a year, checking the airworthiness of those planes.

"The service and maintenance works were conducted exactly the same like it was before the embargo was imposed," Bambang added.

Indonesia now operates 10 F-16 Fighting Falcon produced by U.S. firm General Dynamics. Those planes are stationed in Air Force's third air base located in Madiun, east Java, the Antara news service reported.

The embargo on Indonesia's fighter jet planes were imposed in late 1990s following an allegation of rights abuses committed by Indonesian forces during the referendum in former Indonesian province East Timor.

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Minister hands new Puma helicopter to air force

Antara News, Thursday, December 30, 2010

Bogor, West Java (ANTARA News) - Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro handed over a NAS-332 Super Puma helicopter made by PT Dirgantara Indonesia to the Indonesian Air Force at Atang Sendjaja airbase, Bogor, West Java, on Thursday.

"Our plan is for the Air Force to have nine helicopters. Now it already has seven units, including the one we handed over today. Two other units are still being manfactured by PT DI," the ministers said.

Purnomo said six units had been made earlier by PT DI, four of which were used for SAR operations and the two others for VVIP service.

He said he had cooperated with PT DI for the production of the helicopters because he wished to use domestic products for strengthening the country`s defense.

He said the procurement of the Super Puma was for increasing the defense capability. Even in 2010 a blueprint (the minimum essential force-MEF) has been formulated regarding the country`s needs for defense equipment until 2024 including "the strength of operational units, weaponry and the budget."

"Therefore in the leadership meeting to be held on January 6, 2011 I would ask the TNI (defense forces) to conduct a review again so that no item would be left unnoticed," he said.

Squadron 8 at Atang Sandjaja has eight SA-330 Puma helicopters and based on the MEF plan it would be strengthened with 16 units more of Helicopter EC-725.

NAS-332 Super Puma is capable of carriying two crew and 18 to 24 passengers and is 16.9 meter long and weighs 4,460 kilograms. It has a maximum speed of 278 kilometers per hour and may fly at altitude of more than 7,200 meters high or 19,750 feet.

TNI detains Malaysian plane at Juanda airport

Antara News, Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) has detained a Malaysian aircraft numbered BAE 146-200 for having entered the country`s territory illegally.

The plane with 81 passengers on board including crew members landed illegally at Djuanda international airport in Surabaya from Dili, Timor Leste, at 12.45 hours, TNI spokesman Commodore Iskandar Sitompul said here on Tuesday.

When asked to confirm about the incident by ANTARA, Sitompul said of the 81 passengers six including a Malaysian official had departed to Malaysia aboard a commercial plane.

"The plane and the other passengers meanwhile are still being held at the local immigration office waiting for security clearance from the Indonesian government and military," he said.

Iskandar said the security clearance was issued by BAIS (military intellgience agency) and coordination was now still being made with the foreign ministry for it.

"It is hoped it could be issued tonight so that the plane could immediately be returned to Malaysia," he said.

Iskandar said the Malaysian aircraft had violated the country`s territory and sovereignty because it carried no official permit from the Indonesian authorities.

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Military Exercise Plane Crashes and Burns at Bali's Airport

Jakarta Globe, Made Arya Kencana, June 24, 2010

A KT-1Wong Bee plane, in this file photo, crashed at Bali's Ngurah Rai airport, butboth occupants had safely ejected before impact. (Photo courtesy of TNI AU)

A KT-1Woong Bee exercise plane crashed and burned at the eastern tip of Bali's IGusti Ngurah Rai Airport.

Thepilot Maj. Andi Wijanarko and its passenger, Udayana's Regional MilitaryCommander Maj. Gen. Rachmad Budianto ejected themselves to safety.

Theplane, flown by Maj. Andi Wijanarko, was one of five exercise planes in a“Terbang Gembira” (“Joy Flight”) activity in Bali.

Witnessessaid that the plane crashed when it was about to land at the airport afterperforming an aerobatic maneuver.

Theactivity was to introduce the KT-1 Wong Bee to the Bali government. The planeitself is normally used to train Air Force pilots.

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US helping Indonesian air force improve aircraft safety

Antara News, Friday, March 19, 2010 17:29 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The US Embassy`s Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) is assisting the Indonesian Air Force improve the safety of its aircraft, the US Embassy here said in its webiste.

The Indonesian military and three US Air Force Technical Coordination Groups (TCG) have recently conducted reviews on F-5, F-16, and C-130 aircraft. This was the first in-country review in 2 years, and the most in depth ever.

Team members traveled to Bandung, Halim, Madiun, and Malang Air Force Bases to work directly with air crews and maintenance teams to help them remedy some of their long-standing maintenance problems.

The TCG, a team of technical experts, come from various US Air Force Bases within the United States. They travel worldwide to assist countries resolve critical maintenance issues, and to brief on the latest innovations in the world wide fleet of Lockheed Martin built C-130 `Hercules` aircraft, F-16 `Fighting Falcons,` and Northrop`s F-5 `Tiger.` The Indonesian Air Force Hercules aircraft were all built between the 1960`s and the mid-1980`s.

Although the US sanctions with Indonesia were officially lifted in 2005, maintenance issues have been a challenge for the Indonesian military. In recent years, the ODC at US Embassy - Jakarta has been cooperating with the Indonesian Air Force.

"Bringing the TCG teams back is one of the first steps," Lt. Colonel Alex Thagard, Director of Air Force Programs at ODC, explained. "Many of the programs and platforms used by the Indonesian Air Force require immediate updates, in order to keep pace with changes that have occurred within the US Air Force over the last two decades."

The ODC is also cooperating with the Indonesian Air Force and the US State Department to provide grant funding to send their C-130`s to the United States for Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) inspections.

The first airplane for inspection and maintenance is scheduled to fly to the US in June.

Russia commits early delivery of three Sukhoi fighters

Antara News, Monday, December 21, 2009 23:01 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Russia has committed itself to delivering as early as possible the three Sukhoi jet fighters ordered by Indonesia, Indonesian Air Force spokesman Air Commodore FH Bambang Soelistyo said.

"We will help speed up the delivery of the three Sukhoi jet fighters for the Indonesian Air Force," Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Alexander. A. Ivanov was quoted by Bambang as saying on Monday.

Ivanov disclosed his government`s commitment at a closed-door meeting with Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Marshal Imam Sufa`at at the latter`s office.

Bambang said the delay in the delivery of three SU-27SKM Shukoi fighters was merely caused by technical and administrative problems and the Russian government had vowed to solve them soon.

Russia was supposed to deliver the three jet fighters in December 2009 and January 2010. But because of the problems the delivery had been postponed until October 2010.

"We do hope that they will be delivered earlier than October 2010. Three more Sukhoi jet fighters are enough to give the Indonesian air force deterrent capability. And the Russian government highly understands this," he said.

In 2003, Indonesia bought two SU-30MKs and two SU-27SKs from Russia. It signed a US$300 million deal with the Sukhoi manufacturer in 2007 for the supply of six Shukoi fighters.

The six consist of three SU-30MK2s and three SU-27SKMs. The three SU-30SKMs were delivered in December 2008 and January 2009.

New Toys

The Jakarta Post, Mon, 12/07/2009 5:53 PM

Members of the Indonesian Marine Corps and their South Korean counterparts monitor amphibious vehicles granted by the South Korean government to Indonesia, on Monday at Tanjung Priok. South Korea donated 30 landing vehicles (LVT-7A1) to Indonesia. (Antara/ Saptono)

Military Prepares Response Team For Possible Floodings in Jakarta

Tempo Interactive, Thursday, 26 November, 2009 | 15:31 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The armed forces said about 8,000 strong personnel consisting troops from its three divisions, the nasional search and rescue office is prepared to support relieve operations if severe floodings to occurred this year in the capital.

Head of the Public Communication of the Greater Jakarta Regional Military Command, Major Djaeni said, “Flooding is a routine annual occurance. Therefore we have prepared,” he said after a troop briefing on Thursday morning.

Maj Djaeni said the 8,000 emergency personnels consisted of troops from the army, navy, and airforce, and personnel from the National Search and Rescue and private rescue organization.

The military command said beside monitoring floods prone areas in the capital the emergency team will also monitor the suburbs of the capital which include Depok (West Java), Tangerang (Serang), and Bekasi (West Java).

The military said will deploy three of its amphibious vehicles to support evacuation process, beside other standard equipments like inflatable raft, inner tires, life jackets, generator set, excavator, tents, and emergency cooking set, and prepared its medical centers in diferent part of the capital to treat floods victims.

VENNIE MELYANI

RI to purchase trainer, attack aircraft from Russia, China

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 11/13/2009 8:58 AM

Indonesia will purchase new trainer/light attack aircraft from Russia and China as part of an effort to revitalize its primary defense system, says newly sworn-in Air Force chief of staff Vice Marshal Imam Safaat.

He said the new jets, consisting the Yak-130 from Russia and the FTC-2000 Mountain Eagle from China, would replace the squadrons of British Hawk Mk-53 jets and American OV-10 Bronco.

The Air Force has 20 Hawk Mk-53, and eight turboprop-driven OV-10 Bronco aircraft that are around 30 years old.

“We plan to replace them in the next couple of years. We have done feasibility studies for the purchases, and will propose them to the government soon,” Imam said after the handover ceremony at Halim Perdanakusumah Air Force Base in East Jakarta. Imam replaced Marshal Subandrio.

It would be the first time Indonesia purchases warplanes from China and the second from Russia after the United States embargoed the supply of spare parts for its F-5E Tiger II and F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters and C-130 Hercules transport planes in 1999 due to human rights abuses mainly East Timor.

The Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman, Rear Marshal Sagom Tamboen said the reshuffle in the Air Force leadership was conducted to improve its professionalism through the regeneration of leaders.

Sagom added the new Air Force chief was assigned to boost the country’s air defense system by increasing the quality of aircraft and equipment.

“It is our mission to reduce accidents during training and operational work conducted by Air Force personnel to zero,” he said.

Iman said the military aircraft had to be replaced soon because the Air Force had used the existing planes for more than 30 years.

Imam said further that the Indonesian Military had also planned to replace the old F-5E Tiger II jets.

“We expect to replace them by 2013,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Imam declined to mention the prices of the new aircraft, saying he had not yet discussed it with the government.

“They are expensive,” he said, adding the aircraft would be purchased using foreign aid.

Indonesia bought three Sukhoi fighter jets in February this year to strengthen aerial defense following a series of deadly accidents caused by outdated military aircraft.

The country now has seven Sukhoi-type fighters, all of which were purchased from Russia through a credit scheme. Three more are expected later this year.

Indonesia purchased the seven fighter jets from Russia through the seven-year credit scheme at a total price of US$335 million, but does not have to start making payments for five years.

TNI chief Gen. Djoko Santoso said the Air Force would focus on increasing the operational quality of its basic equipment and maintenance.

“That includes the improvement of the Air Force’s radar systems and air control power,” he said.

Sagom said the Air Force would also focus on improving personnel welfare, despite its limited budget, in addition to increasing safety standards for its primary weaponry defense system.

Sagom added that 70 percent of the Air Force’s budget was geared toward the welfare of personnel. The other 30 percent was for the maintenance of equipment and spare parts.

He said the Air Force budget was expected to increase to between Rp 5 trillion ($531.6 million) and Rp 7 trillion next year, up from Rp 4 trillion this year. (nia)

The few, the wet

The Jakarta Post | Tue, 11/10/2009 11:47 AM

The Indonesian Military’s Marines clean up part of the Ciliwung River in the Juanda area, Central Jakarta, on Monday. The activity, involving more than 3,000 marines, was held in conjunction with the 64th anniversary of the corps, which falls on Nov. 15. JP/Nurhayati

Indonesia Rejects Gift of Mirage Airplanes

Friday, 20 March, 2009 | 17:23 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesia has a gift of one squadron of Mirage combat airplanes from Qatar. According to Defense Minister, Juwono Sudarsono, the offer was rejected because of the limited budget available for their maintenance. “The gift is fine, but the maintenance is costly,” he said in his office yesterday.

The offer was made verbally by the Indonesian Ambassador in Qatar, Rozy Munir, six months ago. According to Juwono, all he needed was for him to send a letter to the Qatar Defense Minister.

At a glance, Juwono said, the eight-year old French airplanes would need high maintenance cost. Meanwhile, the budget of the Defense Department and that of the Indonesian Armed Forces’ budget could not afford such an expense. Moreover, they are currently focusing on the maintenance of cargo planes, such as the Hercules. Juwono added that the gift grant did not mean no costs would be involved. “There would still be costs, like mediator fees,” he said.

The Defense Department refused the offer for other considerations as well. According to Juwono, two problems would occur if the offer was accepted: the budget and the additional burden on the air hitter system, creating chaos to the existing system. The Indonesian Air Force currently owns American F-5 and F-16 combat planes and Russian Sukhois.

In terms of air strike capability, Juwono said, more important is the kind of deterrence technology. Quantitatively, we may not have enough airplanes. “That is why we bought the Sukhoi, even though they are expensive,” he said. Hence, our defensive system is still on a par with Singapore’s, particularly if they buy 24 F-15 airplanes next year.

According to Juwono, the Indonesian Air Force was initially interested in the offer from Qatar. However, the problem would arise in the allocation as well as in the availability of spare parts. “We must be certain the spare part manufacturer will still exist. They could well be extinct,” he said.

Army chopper crashes, two aboard injured

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 03/07/2009 11:41 AM  

Rescue team members check a Hughes C300 HL 408 helicopter belonging to the Army, which crash-landed in Tugurejo village in Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday. Pilot Maj. Agus Suprayogi and trainee Second Lt. Ryan Akhmad were both safe. The cause of the accident is now being investigated. JP/Suherjoko

An Indonesian Army training helicopter crashed onto a shrimp farm in Tugurejo in Semarang, Central Java, about five kilometers from Ahmad Yani Airport at around 7:30 a.m on Saturday, tempointeraktif.com has reported. 

Helicopter pilot Capt. Agus Suprayogo and Second Lt. Riyan were severely injured and was taken to Tugurejo Hospital. 

An Army team is still working to remove the wreck of the chopper, which was broken into several pieces. 

A member of the team said that engine failure may have caused the incident. (dre)

PT DI to complete production of Super Puma for Air Force

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State own aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia will soon complete productions of three Super Puma helicopters ordered by the Air Force. 

PT DI had previously finished the production of seven out of the 16 Super Puma helicopters ordered by the Air Force. 

"Of the remaining nine units, three units are in the process of completion, one is 90 percent completed and is expected to fly in the next two months, and two units are 60-70 percent completed," President Director of PT DI Budi Santoso told ANTARA here on Monday. 

The orders of the 16 Super Puma NAS 332 helicopters and their spare parts from PT DI is based on a purchase contract no. 1010 in 1998. 

The completed seven helicopters had been delivered to the Air Force, and the production works of the remaining nine units had been hampered by a lack of funds. 

With the planned completion of three Super Puma NAS 332 helicopters, the Indonesian Air Force would get 10 units of its 16 orders. 

"The remaining (6 helicopters), will be modified into Super Puma II or Cougar which have newer technologies," PT DI chief said.

The Modification, which is acquired from the cooperation between PT DI and Eurocopter of France, is meant to dominate the market of helicopters special for the Air Force in the Asian reg.