Journalists taking photographs of a C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft on its arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta on March 6, 2023. - Antara
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): A Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Super Hercules that arrived on Monday (March 6) from the United States is now ready for operatiion by the Indonesian Air Force, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday during a ceremony held at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base.
Attended by President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Adm. Yudo Margono, the event involved the symbolic handover of a replica key from the ministry to the TNI chief.
The aircraft is the first of five Super Hercules the Defense Ministry ordered last year from the US aerospace and defence giant, with each of the remaining aircraft to arrive in June, July and October this year and next January.
The new Super Hercules fleet is expected to expand the Indonesian Air Force’s operational capacity in terms of speed, range and performance.
The aircraft is in operation in 22 countries and is capable of supporting “18 different mission requirements”, according to a press release from Lockheed Martin.
“[The aircraft] can carry 98 people with parachutes. Without parachutes, it can carry 128 people as well as transport 19.9 tonnes of goods. It is good for military and nonmilitary operations, including natural disaster relief,” President Jokowi said at Wednesday’s ceremony.
Prabowo said the new aircraft would undergo maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) in Indonesia, like its existing fleet of C-130H Hercules A-1315. This ensured that the Super Hercules aircraft would continue to involve and support the local defence industry.
