Indonesian Aero News

[Sandhi Yudha]

Several photos already circulating in Indonesian Enthusiasts forums and online's account.

First, four TNI-AU pilots already entering their solo flight training with Rafale. This pilots will become initial batch that later on become instructor for training and conversions TNI-AU pilots in Pekanbaru Airbase. I believe they will part of pilots that will bring back TNI-AU first batch Rafale next year.

View attachment 53560View attachment 53561

Second, seems first ANKA UAV/UCAV already in Pontianak Supadio AB. There's this photo session with TAI people and ANKA UAV as back ground.

View attachment 53562

here a short video about it....

..and some more photos on TNI-AU's Twitter account.
https://x.com/_TNIAU/status/1971415965935288806
Btw, some people on Twitter, including your big friend, have started a holy war against Turkification of defence equipment. Funny guys.

 

[Ananda]

some people on Twitter, including your big friend, have started a holy war against Turkification of defence equipment. Funny guys.

Most of them only following naration being given by Frenchie salesman. Many of them still believe he is independent defense consultant and not Salesman. The thing is he is now in my opinion also playing black campaign.

He talk that Turkiye will not give offset and Tech Transfer, when so far whether Turkiye Missiles and UAV has offset contract. Problem with Turkiye procurement has local partner Republikorp. Many enthusiats see this as one company benefit most on the deals.

Perhaps it is but not much differ with Frenchies salesman deals. Republikorp also increasingly shown move to establish JV for license manufacturing and assembly toward Turkiye deals. Something Euro suppliers won't neccesary wiling to go that way.

In the end he is just bitter as salesman loosing ground to his competitor Turkiye agents. My problem with him is just now playing black campaign to publics.

 

[Ananda]

Kunjungan Kerja di Lanud Supadio, Kasau Tinjau Pesawat Anka dan Sapa Prajurit | Fakta Kalbar

Kepala Staf Angkatan Udara (Kasau) M. Tonny Harjono melakukan kunjungan kerja ke Lanud Supadio untuk meninjau pesawat Anka di Skuadron 51 dan bersilaturahmi dengan prajurit.

faktakalbar.id

This West Kalimantan media clearly put the TNI-AU chief come to Pontianak Supadio AB, to visit ANKA UAV. From previous information Pontianak previous UAV already being move. CH-4 to Natuna AB, while Aerostar already being relegated to training duties and move to Tasikmalaya AB in West Java.

Add: From Keris FB, the first TNI-AU ANKA MALE UAV/UCAV. The contract if not changes for 12 ANKA.



Some rumours claim the main Off Set and Tech Transfer is TUSAS help for LEN to build flight control for Indigenous Elang Hitam MALE UAV. Especially beyond sight line control (BLOS). Elang Hitam going to be in similar size and class with ANKA.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

here a short video about it....

..and some more photos on TNI-AU's Twitter account.
https://x.com/_TNIAU/status/1971415965935288806
Btw, some people on Twitter, including your big friend, have started a holy war against Turkification of defence equipment. Funny guys.

It is actually funny to see that the pilot just use an Apple Watch, and not a "special pilot watch", like an expensive Breitling or Omega. We see this actually also in the civilian aviation, pilots just use a watch they like, often a Casio G-Shock (and not even a Gravitymaster), or a simple analog watch.

Here some more photos on Twitter.
https://x.com/Jatosint/status/1971171753918595409

And here a short video about the TAI Anka-S.

 

[Ananda]

https://x.com/T_Nblty/status/1972396916005876085?s=19

Under the definitive contract signed between Indonesia and Turkiye, no US Congressional approval or licence agreement is required for any part of the KAAN. Indonesia's KAANs will be delivered ITAR-free with Turkish national technology and there are no changes to the project schedule.

When signing the contract with Indonesia, the development process of the national Tf35000 engines were taken into account, and the delivery schedule was prepared with great confidence based on the development schedule of this domestic engine

There're lot off noises now in Indonesian media and foruns, that talk about future of Indonesian deal with Turkiye on KAAN Fighters. Especially after US congress veto sell plan of F110 engine for KAAN.

So I put this Turkish Defence X channel that talk about what agreement between Indonesia and Turkey and emphasises two thing. First KAAN has to be ITAR Free and second the engine has to be what Turkiye produce (TF-35000).

In short, if Turkiye can not deliver KAAN with the specs in the contract, then Indonesia can forfeit the deal. In other word the US engine being hold the sell by US congress won't matter to Indonesia KAAN deal.

 

[Ananda]

TNI-AU provide photo as one of their test pilots become first TNI-AU pilot that fly KF-21 dual seater as front seat pilot.



Related to the progress on this KF/IF-21 cooperation, KAI should give one of the prototype to DI soon after all RnD cost on Indonesia part being paid. This prototype should be send to DI to be study on potential adjustment for IF-21.

What I sense increasing reluctance for Indonesia to goes through with their part of procurement of 48-50 IF-21, are the negotiation of security supply for US ITAR parts on KF-21. From the noise that I heard this is become Prabowo's administration main concern. Especially considering US increasinh tendencies using ITAR as part of diplomatic pressure.

This why KAAN come to equiation as Turkiye guarantee that the version that being allocate to Indonesia will be ITAR free. If Turkiye can't reach that, then as my previous post put, Indonesia has right to forfeit the procurement agreement.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

View attachment 53599

TNI-AU provide photo as one of their test pilots become first TNI-AU pilot that fly KF-21 dual seater as front seat pilot.

View attachment 53600View attachment 53601

Related to the progress on this KF/IF-21 cooperation, KAI should give one of the prototype to DI soon after all RnD cost on Indonesia part being paid. This prototype should be send to DI to be study on potential adjustment for IF-21.

What I sense increasing reluctance for Indonesia to goes through with their part of procurement of 48-50 IF-21, are the negotiation of security supply for US ITAR parts on KF-21. From the noise that I heard this is become Prabowo's administration main concern. Especially considering US increasinh tendencies using ITAR as part of diplomatic pressure.

This why KAAN come to equiation as Turkiye guarantee that the version that being allocate to Indonesia will be ITAR free. If Turkiye can't reach that, then as my previous post put, Indonesia has right to forfeit the procurement agreement.

I think this is typical Indonesian...the urge to make weird poses/hand gestures when making group photos. I wouldn't be surprised if they even give this pose a name.



Here some videos of the preparations for 5 Oktober.

 

[koxinga]

New T-50i poised for deliveries (out of the 6 ordered) later in November.

Indonesia to receive six additional T-50I trainers from November

The Indonesian air force will begin receiving six additional Korea Aerospace Industries T-50I advanced jet trainers from November, following an original order announcement in 2021.

www.flightglobal.com

Jakarta Confirms Arrival of Six New KAI T-50i Golden Eagles to Boost Training and Combat Power - Defence Security Asia

Indonesia confirms delivery of six KAI T-50i jets from South Korea starting November 2025, boosting pilot training, light combat power, and Indo-Pacific air deterrence.

defencesecurityasia.com

 

[Ananda]

There are rumours that TNI-AU thinking to upgrade those T-50i as LCA standard (FA-50), while Lift duties will be using M346 as Hawk 109 replacement. In this scenario FA-50 going to be replacement for Hawk 209 LCA.

Currently Rafale seems going to replace Hawk 209/109 both in Pekanbaru and Pontianak AB. However looking on TNI-AU activities like visiting Leonardo facility for M346 and further discussion between KAI with DI, the indication so far shown potential M346 as LIFT/FLIT and FA-50 (mostly from T-50i upgrade) as LCA.

Can T-50 stay as LIFT and get more FA-50 for LCA ? It is still open talk. It is back again to marketing lobby war between Leonardo vs KAI on LIFT.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

There are rumours that TNI-AU thinking to upgrade those T-50i as LCA standard (FA-50), while Lift duties will be using M346 as Hawk 109 replacement. In this scenario FA-50 going to be replacement for Hawk 209 LCA.

Currently Rafale seems going to replace Hawk 209/109 both in Pekanbaru and Pontianak AB. However looking on TNI-AU activities like visiting Leonardo facility for M346 and further discussion between KAI with DI, the indication so far shown potential M346 as LIFT/FLIT and FA-50 (mostly from T-50i upgrade) as LCA.

Can T-50 stay as LIFT and get more FA-50 for LCA ? It is still open talk. It is back again to marketing lobby war between Leonardo vs KAI on LIFT.

It would be great if both the Hawk Mk109 as the Mk209 will also be replaced by two variants of the same aircraft: T-50 and FA-50. And not a total different new aircraft from a new manufacturer, with again a new engine. Besides that inside the Aermacchi M346 two Honeywell/ITEC F124 engines are installed, which makes maintenance more complicated and time consuming and thus more expensive compared to the single engine T-50.
I dont see the reason to add another aircraft.

Anyway, at last i got the opportunity yesterday to visit Monas. There are hundreds of vehicles parked at such a large area in the burning Sun, so i didn't got them all on camera.
There were a lot of ground vehicles and UAVs i've never seen before and often not easily to identify by searching on the internet.

I post here the first photos.
TNI-AU had several vehicles from Korpaskhasau/Korpasgat at Monas, this MRCV Bobcat seems to be build by Jeep, but it is unclear if it is directly delivered like this by Jeep or locally modified from a standard civilian variant.

Some vehicles from an unknown brand and type.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Also the Pindad Maung is built in so many different generations and variants, it sometimes look like a totally different type/model of car.

more pictures will follow
Several Pindad Maung vehicles with various kinds of small UAVs.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

And here are some larger UAVs.
I think this is the IPTN Wulung.

From a distance and covered, this looks like an Insitu ScanEagle, but it is an Aeronautics Defense Orbiter 2B. It seems to enter service with TNI-AU in 2020.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

And here the last photos of TNI-AU's vehicles at Monas.

A P6 ATAV manufactured by PT Sentra Surya Ekayaja (SSE Defence).
P6 ATAV V3 is a fully armoured variant with STANAG level 1 standard, with bullet-proof glass and runflat tires. Two units can be embarked in the C-130 Hercules. The cabin width at the floor of an CN235 is around 2,3 meter, but the P6 ATAV is 4,6 m long, 2,3 m wide, and 1,5 m high, so probably it just doesn't fit in a CN235 or C295.

MOre pirctures will follow.

 

[x100 XKR]

New T-50i poised for deliveries (out of the 6 ordered) later in November.

Indonesia to receive six additional T-50I trainers from November

The Indonesian air force will begin receiving six additional Korea Aerospace Industries T-50I advanced jet trainers from November, following an original order announcement in 2021.

www.flightglobal.com

Jakarta Confirms Arrival of Six New KAI T-50i Golden Eagles to Boost Training and Combat Power - Defence Security Asia

Indonesia confirms delivery of six KAI T-50i jets from South Korea starting November 2025, boosting pilot training, light combat power, and Indo-Pacific air deterrence.

defencesecurityasia.com

View attachment 53611
View attachment 53612

Why does the AF choose to install the Vulcan cannon after the fact? I thought there is a decision made already that all of the TA-50 will be equipped w radar and weaponry, no?

 

[Ananda]

Why does the AF choose to install the Vulcan cannon after the fact?

Because the first batch of 16 being contracted for Advance Training (standard T-50), later on being decide to upgrade them for secondary LCA (TA-50). The second batch of six as my understanding already order on TA-50 standard, some say TA-50+ standard. However they are not in FA-50 standard yet.

 

[Ananda]

One producer still fight hard for this. Eventough the chances is diminishing as goes by, but this is Indonesia afterall. Nothing certain until contract effective and payment being Made.

Perhaps they are saying, why looking to KAAN ? They will not going to get the engine supply and their own engine still far away, if ever. Well this is marketing campaign war anyway.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Indonesia has expressed interest in acquiring the Korean GPS-Guided Bomb (KGGB) kit and has requested a formal presentation on the product from South Korea's LIG Nex1.

We will see how serious this interest is.

According to attendance documents that were provided to Janes by one of the sources, the meeting was attended by 26 senior Indonesian Air Force officials including leaders from the strategic planning unit and commanders of Wing 3, Wing 14, Wing 15, and Wing 16 of Air Squadron 3.

It is clear that if this KGGB is procured, it is intended to be used by the F-16 and T-/TA-50.

Source:
Indonesia mulls KGGB kit following Thailand's combat debut


And here the last part of TNI-AU vehicles at Monas. We start with the SSE P2 Tiger.

These are some Tugasanda Defense (TAD) Turangga vehicles.

And as bonus a Isuzu Giga FVZ 285, a fire truck with a 6-cylinder 285 PS/281 hp engine.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Videos appeared on the internet of EMB-314s attacking OPM camps.
It is claimed that this is the first time the EMB-314 is used against those terrorists, but is this actually true?

- YouTube