Indonesia eyes more jet fighters

Indonesia is aiming to create eight
new squadrons of fighter aircraft by
2024 as part of military upgrade
programs, the head of the air force
said.
The Indonesian Defense Force also is
set to train more pilots to cope with
what could be more than 100 new
jet fighters if each squadron has
around 16 aircraft, the Jakarta Globe
newspaper reported.
"We hope that by 2024 we will have
eight squadrons of fighter aircraft,"
Air Chief Marshal Ida Bagus Putu
Dunia said.
He was speaking during a ceremony
at the Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force
Base in Makassar on Sulawesi Island
in which the air force officially
received six Russian-made Sukhoi
SU-30MK2 fighter aircraft -- the last
of a contract for 16 Sukhoi aircraft
signed in 2007.
The Jakarta Globe report said each
squadron is expected to consist of
16 Sukhoi jets, although the
newspaper didn't quote Dunia
specifying what the aircraft might
be.
Ida said the Sukhoi jets were
sophisticated fighter aircraft that
offer a high deterrence and will
strengthen the Indonesian air force.
The deal on the Sukhois that
includes pilot training is for the air
force's Squadron 11 at Hasanuddin
Air Base in Makassar.
"[We] have a sufficient number of
pilots to operate them, but we also
are preparing pilots for new fighter
aircraft," he said.
In early September the Jakarta Post
newspaper reported that the last
two Sukhoi fighters had arrived from
Russia at the Hasanuddin base in an
Antanov An-124 transport aircraft.
The Sukhoi aircraft were in
completely knocked-down condition.
"The manufacturer also sent 13
technicians to assemble the aircraft
[and] perform a series of tests before
handing them over to the
government," Hasanuddin base
spokesman Maj. Muliadi said at the
time.
He said usually it would take a week
for the technicians to assemble the
aircraft and perform the tests.
Weapons for the aircraft are being
procured under separate contracts,
he said.
The air force also is looking to
replace its old Northrop F-5 Tiger
fighter aircraft, Ida said.
"We are looking at our options as it
is important to find a more
sophisticated replacement," he said.
Defense Minister Purnomo
Yusgiantoro confirmed the
government's plan to replace its F-5
Tigers, the Jakarta Globe reported.
Yusgiantoro said the military had
received a squadron of 16 supersonic
advanced trainer T-50 Golden Eagle
T-50s -- so-called baby F-16s -- from
South Korea at the Iswahyudi
Military Air Base in Madiun, on Java
Island.
The T-50, which also can be used as
a light fighter, was developed by
Korea Aerospace Industries and
Lockheed Martin and is South
Korea's first indigenous supersonic
aircraft.
Its maiden flight was in 2002 and it
entered service with the Republic of
Korea Air Force in 2005.