Vice Marshal A Gustaf Brugman, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force, unveiled imminent reinforcements set to bolster the Indonesian Air Force’s aerial capabilities in the near future. Earlier Indonesian news agency Kompas reported that among the strategic assets in line for delivery are two units of the Airbus H225M Caracal long-range tactical transport military helicopters and the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules turboprop military transport aircraft C-130J transport aircraft. Gustaf confirmed that the Caracal helicopters have been fully assembled by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI), with the transfer to Indonesian expected soon. Indonesian Air Force has ordered a total of five Super Hercules aircraft from Lockheed Martin. As of now, three units have already undergone navigation exercises and were utilized in flypasts during the 78th Anniversary of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.
“The handover of the Caracal helicopters from PT DI might happen shortly. In fact, it was supposed to be handed over last week, but due to certain circumstances, it was postponed. In addition to the Caracal helicopters, the Indonesian Air Force will also welcome an additional unit of the Hercules C-130J aircraft from Lockheed Martin, United States. The C-130J is scheduled to arrive at the beginning of next year (2024),” Gustaf mentioned following the commanders’ assembly of the Indonesian Air Force 2023 at the Puri Ardhya Garini Building, Halim Perdanakusuma, East Jakarta, on 23 September.
The Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar for military use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 28 seated troops along with two crew, depending on customer configuration. The helicopter is marketed for troop transport, casualty evacuation, and combat search and rescue duties. The EC725 is based on the Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar, improving upon the design with a five-blade composite main rotor incorporating a new airfoil shape to reduce vibration levels. The helicopter can be fitted with removable armour plating to protect the troops and is powered by two Turbomeca Makila 1A4 turboshaft engines mounted over the cabin, which feature a dual-channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system.
The Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, with new engines, flight deck, and other systems. The C-130J is the newest version of the C-130 Hercules, and the only model currently in production. As of March 2022, 500 C-130J aircraft have been delivered to 26 operators in 22 countries. Externally similar to the classic Hercules in general appearance, the J-model features considerably updated technology. These differences include new Rolls-Royce AE 2100 D3 turboprop engines, Dowty R391 six-bladed composite scimitar propellers that have blade tips swept by 35 degrees, digital avionics (including head-up displays (HUDs) for each pilot), and reduced crew requirements. As a cargo and airlift aircraft, the C-130J’s crew includes two pilots and one loadmaster, while specialized USAF variants (e.g., AC-130J, EC-130J, MC-130J, HC-130J, WC-130J) may have larger crews.
