Air Force

Feb 28th, 2007, in News, by

Only half of the Indonesian air force is in a serviceable state.

Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshal Herman Prayitno said in Pontianak, West Kalimantan on the 27th that of the country’s 250 war planes only half were fully operational, due to the difficulties Indonesia faces in procuring spare parts for military aircraft. Most of the spare parts shortages are experienced with planes manufactured in the United States.

Hawk Mk53 & Hawk Mk209
Hawk Mk53 & Hawk Mk209.

Speaking at the Supadio air force base in Pontianak Prayitno said the United States used tight procedures for the purchase of spare parts needed by the Indonesian Air Force. To obtain parts Indonesia had to make a commitment that it would not resell the parts to other parties which are seen as threatening United States’ interests, whether directly or indirectly. Bulk purchases could not be made, he said, each piece had to be approved, one by one.

With increased funding from the government, and the gradual replacement of old planes with craft from China, Russia, Brazil or the Czech Republic, Prayitno hopes that by 2009 75% of the fleet will be in a “serviceable” state.


The Indonesian Air Force has 21 squadrons stationed at these air bases.

The Air Force currently plans to obtain a loan of $1 billion from the Australian government to be used for the purchase of six Russian made Sukhoi fighters, the aircraft to be based at Hasanuddin air base in Makassar, South Sulawesi. antara

_____________

March 2nd 2007.

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) denied the report that the planned purchase of six more Sukhoi jet fighters will use Australian loans, but instead said that the money will be borrowed from the Russian government. antara


23 Comments on “Air Force”

  1. Ali says:

    We used to have a Menristek who said designing and building military aircraft was easier than building commercial ones.

    What we need is action, not talk. Oh, and money, free from corruption.

  2. 1ndra says:

    As always, western monopoly. πŸ™‚
    Better to sell those planes and buy from eastern ones, MiG.

    We used to have a Menristek who said designing and building military aircraft was easier than building commercial ones.

    Do you mean Cureng class military aircraft? πŸ™‚

  3. Ali says:

    Maybe we should start buying military aircrafts from either India or China.

  4. Tomaculum says:

    MiG is an eastern aircraft? 1ndra, hmmmm. πŸ™‚
    And you think the jets from India and China can compete with the “western” ones?
    Are you sure they are cheaper (incl. the follow-up costs and strategical damages)?
    And what about european military jets?
    Cheaper is to reactivate Gatotkaca, hm? He doesn’t need neither spare parts nor fuel, just nasi pecel.
    :))

  5. Mohammed Khafi says:

    What I find most amazing about this article is not the disclosure that half of our aircraft are unservicable, but the map, which clearly show a strong preference to the defence of Java than to the rest of our nation. Seven military airbases in Java, only three for the rest of the country and none in Irian Jaya?

    Peace

  6. Robert says:

    Mohammed,

    The map is really weird. Normally airbases are more or less spread out over a country, often near the borders. No airbase in the eastern part of Indonesia (Maluku, West-Papua), but concentrated on Java. Is it because of the enemy within?
    I am just wondering whether this map is correct, I can not imagine the eastern part so unprotected.

  7. Mohammed Khafi says:

    It’s probably just a result of our Javacentric Military standing in readiness to protect their own homes! πŸ˜‰

    We just use National Pride to hide behind, it makes a good screen for our self interest! Welcome to Indonesia Robert!

    By the way “The enemy within” is actually just within our own minds, placed there by successive leaders, to cause fear and allow them to dominate us! But we like to believe in stuff like that, because we never see our own faults, the military dominates us but we see it as protecting us!

  8. 1ndra says:

    MiG is an eastern aircraft? 1ndra, hmmmm. πŸ™‚

    Mmmm, I only thought that Russian is one alignment with Indonesian, see your map. πŸ™‚ And the other thing is about blok barat and blok timur.

    I am just wondering whether this map is correct, I can not imagine the eastern part so unprotected.

    Maybe the country permit the eastern defence taken by ‘warriors’. πŸ™‚ Building bases in east needs a lot of money, I used to remember one zak of cement exceeds a half of million rupiah. And from economical value maybe the government not build it much. And next to Papua almost no country.
    But yes, it’s very vulnerable to infiltration and stealing.

  9. Andrew says:

    Cheaper is to reactivate Gatotkaca, hm? He doesn’t need neither spare parts nor fuel, just nasi pecel.

    Tom, don’t forget Hanoman. A bunch of bananas is all he needs…

  10. Dimp says:

    No matter where you obtain the aircrafts, as long as the purchase involved corrupt officials, then we will never get worthy aircraft. I think we need full disclosure of these so callled “unserviceable” aircrafts, how old these aircraft are, who purchased them and for how much.

  11. Bas says:

    Most airforce bases are located in Java because Javanese have colonized all the country and are at the top of it. They protect their island and don’t care about what’s inside. Just the same way they protect their home and don’t give a S— of what’s outside. Other islands only matter because they have gas, oil or tourists. Doesn’t amaze me at all. Javanese (ORBAnese) culture supremacy.

    What more surprises me is they are begging money from the Aussies. They really have no sense of dignity. But why not, in case of conflict the Indonesia airforce would probably be destroyed totally in a few hours.

  12. Ali says:

    I’d be surprised if our air force is strong enough to face even Singapore’s RSAF.

    Our strength lies in quantity, not quality: the Army.

  13. Oigal says:

    No airbase in the eastern part of Indonesia (Maluku, West-Papua), but concentrated on Java

    Java is Indonesia?

  14. widya suhermanto says:

    I think the Indonesian Air Forces is on yhe track now. First, we bought an military equipment not from American anymore. So we can proud of our latest aircraft such as SU-27 and SU-30. And finally we can said, “this is our new air forces!”

  15. hootan says:

    Dear Sir

    I have a company in Iran to supply military spare parts and kinds of overhaul of aviation materials and other military devices , so I want you to introduce your materials and spare parts that you can supply me. Please prepare and send a full list of your products and all kinds of overhaul and all other services that your company can do for me . Your kind cooperation is highly appreciated and It will be a pleasure to give me an immediate reply.
    Best regards.
    Director
    H.Jalili

  16. Why most bases are in java :
    – Most national assets are in java
    – most people live in java
    – in case you need to attack indonesia, java is your first and main target.
    Anyway, it needs only few minutes to get around with our new sukhoi.
    ENJOY, indonesians !

  17. tony says:

    you should not worrie about ur busted up airforce . your country should be spending its money on its people an not asking the aussies for money to buy planes , that u want to invade us with .. how stupid do u think we are.. we buy 20 for every 1 you buy .. we send you mony in the way of aid, or loans that dont get payed back… AUSSIES big county not many people. but a very big heart…

  18. Mohammed Khafi says:

    Tony asked:

    how stupid do u think we are

    Looking at the capitalisation, spelling , grammar, and content of your comment, I would say quite stupid!

  19. For Tony, i do not understand your words, sorry.

  20. Fazed says:

    I know first hand that one family supplies all the US parts for the Indonesian air force. The way it works is insane and very corrupt. Contracts can depend on miniscule matches of golf or conversations. If anyone thinks that the purchasing of weapons and spare parts is actually a choice of the Indonesian government you are severely mistaken. Quid pro quo is the threat to both sides and the relief. Decisions are not made by military representatives but with the surgeon general and other “deciders” (bush reference). Corruption in both countries will not end and does not differ, one country just hides it from citizens and the world much better than the other. Don’t fool yourself. The beneficiaries on either side are sitting back renegotiating and still cashing in. Stop being ignorant.

  21. Astrajingga says:

    Fazed, if you want to do something about it, you can. If you think that this must be changed, then do something. If you think it would be dangerous, you can do it safely. It has to be done in a very very careful way. Surely you can’t report them to the police, we won’t know which policeman is involved and which one is not. Reporting to ICW or KPK even safer than to police station.

    Other way, through media campaign. If you have recorded material, or even your own detail written testimony, you could send the facts to journalist. Name names. Give a clear picture of what you know and what most people don’t know. Show the journalist in the most simple way, why this kind of business is bad for Indonesian, it’s bad not only for national budget, it is also bad for the soldier, it’s bad for everyone but those arm broker. You can do it anonymously, or you can ask the journalist protection for your safety. Let them check the fact, let them decide what they gonna do about the fact from you.

    It may create a hassle for them a bit, it may change military purchasing system, it may be only a few headlines in newspaper and then the issue died.

    But whatever it will be, you’ve done your part. If you are going to contact journalist I could only recommend 3 media: Tempo, Jakarta Post, and Kompas. Well, Kompas is a so-so media, not a very good one to start to, but do try. Kompas is famous for its ‘cowardice’ style, but if it’s in Kompas, it would really be taken seriously by government to do something about this, at least they will start to look like they’re doing something on this. That’s okay, you can’t cut down the biggest tree in the forest with one slash.

    I know that some media has brought up this topic several times, and seems to us, nothing changes. Yes, but we have to do it again and again and again and again. The state/government won’t change a thing until its peoples demand the thing to be changed. Media is one way. ICW and media would be also a good combination.

  22. laxamana says:

    How to match Malaysian jet fighters of 18 Sukhoi SU30MKM, 16 MIG29 ands 8 F18 Hornets?? The Indo Sukhoi will not last even for a minute… waste of USD$1 billion. Better use to help the poor. Indon cannot take Ambalat in true sense..

  23. Cukurungan says:

    How to match Malaysian jet fighters of 18 Sukhoi SU30MKM, 16 MIG29 ands 8 F18 Hornets?? The Indo Sukhoi will not last even for a minute… waste of USD$1 billion. Better use to help the poor. Indon cannot take Ambalat in true sense..

    The true sense is Malaysia has no a true army….what Malaysia have just a coward man with gun …..therefore it is no need to match it because Malaysian has no pilot who could fly with those jetfighters

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