The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force ( – KSAU or KASAU). Its order of battle is split into three Air Operations Commands (). Most of its airbases are located on the island of Java. The Indonesian Air Force also has its ground force unit, called Air Force Quick Reaction Force Corps (Korpasgat). The corps is also known as the "Orange Berets" () due to the distinctive color of their service headgear.
The Indonesian Air Force has 30,100 personnel and equipped with 110 combat aircraft. The inventory includes 33 F-16 Fighting Falcons as the main fighters (from the United States) supplemented by five Su-27 and eleven Su-30MK's (from Russia), Hawk 200, KAI T-50 and Embraer EMB 314.Tempo English Edition magazine, 19–25 October 2011 p17 The Indonesian Air Force also intends to purchase 50 KF-X fighter jets from South Korea. As of 2023, the Indonesian Air Force purchased 42 Rafale from France, along with C-130J transport aircraft and a Medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle.
History
War of Independence (1945–1949)
After Japan announced their surrender on 15 August 1945 at the end of World War II, Indonesian nationalist leader Sukarno declared Indonesian independence on 17 August 1945. Several days later on the 23 August, the Indonesian People's Security Agency (Badan Keamanan Rakyat) was formed to undertake security duties. The Air Component of this force, BKR Udara, was also formed. The air arm would captured and use ex-Japanese planes scattered everywhere, especially in the island of Java.Indonesian Air Force 1977, p. 19 The most numerous of these aircraft were the Yokosuka K5Y1 "Willow" trainers, which was given the nickname Cureng by the Indonesians, and they were hastily used to train newly recruited cadets. The new roundel was created simply by painting white on the lower part of the Japanese Hinomaru, reflecting the red and white of the Indonesian flag.
In 1945, there was only one Indonesian holding a multi-engine pilot license from the pre-war Dutch Flying School, Flying Officer Agustinus Adisucipto. Adisucipto flew a Cureng with red and white markings from Maguwo airfield in Yogyakarta on 27 October 1945, becoming the first Indonesian pilot to fly an aircraft after the country's unilateral independence. In December 1945, a flight school was created at Maguwo airfield, commanded by Adisucipto.Indonesian Air Force 1977, p. 26 He was assisted by a few Japanese pilots who decided to stay in the country. The People's Security Agency was re-organized in October 1945, and again in January 1946 to form the nascent formal armed forces. This marked the birth of the Indonesian Air Force on 9 April 1946. Commodore Soerjadi Soerjadarma, a former bombardier and navigator in the Dutch colonial air force, was appointed as its first chief-of-staff.Indonesian Air Force 1977, p. 20
Throughout 1946 and early 1947, the Indonesian Air Force carried out liaison duties between cities in Java and Sumatra, and its pilot cadets performed cross-country flights. Training facilities spread across various airfields for technicians, military police, radio operators, and airbase defense were also created during this time. On 23 April 1946, three Air Force Tachikawa Ki-55 Cukiu transported Indonesian delegation from Yogyakarta to Jakarta for a negotiation with the Allies on resolving the issue of Allied prisoner-of-war repatriation.Indonesian Air Force 1977, p. 27
However, tensions rose as the Dutch tried to re-claim their former colony and launched an offensive on 21 July 1947, destroying most of the Indonesian Air Force planes on the ground. Some planes survived and were hidden in remote bases. On 29 July 1947, three surviving aircraft, comprising two Yokosuka K5Y1 Cureng and a Mitsubishi Ki-51 "Guntei" (the fourth aircraft, a Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa flown by Air Cadet Bambang Saptoadji, should also have been involved in the raid as an escort, but as of when it was launched, the aircraft was not airworthy due to engine troubles) conducted air raids before dawn on the Dutch Army positions in Semarang, Salatiga and Ambarawa, dropping incendiary bombs. It was the first combat mission of the Indonesian Air Force. Tactically, these raids did not have any effect on the Dutch positions, but psychologically, it was a great success as it proved that the Indonesian Air Force still existed. The Dutch had previously claimed the destruction of Indonesian Air Force in their assault before and did not expected any attack from the sky.
The first airborne mission took place on 17 October 1947, when a fourteen men guerillas led by Major Tjilik Riwut was airdropped by a C-47 around Kotawaringin in southern Kalimantan.Indonesian Air Force 1977, p. 60 Out of the original fourteen, one of them did not jump, another went missing, three were killed in firefight, and the other were captured by Dutch forces, the last of them were captured on 7 December. Although it was an unsuccessful mission, the 17 October was celebrated as the founding day of Korpasgat, the Air Force's infantry and special forces corps.
Sukarno era (1950–1967)
Under pressure from the United Nations, the Dutch finally agreed to acknowledge Indonesian independence. Following the 1949 Round Table Conference, sovereignty was officially transferred to the United States of Indonesia. The Dutch armed forces left (but remained in West Papua until 1963), and the aeroplanes were handed over to the Indonesians. These comprised, among others, North American P-51 Mustang, North American B-25 Mitchell, North American T-6 Texan, Douglas A-26 Invader, Douglas C-47 Dakota and Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, which served as the main forces of the Indonesian Air Force for the following decade. During this era, Indonesia received its first jet aircraft; De Havilland DH-115 Vampire. It was also during this era that the national roundels were changed to the red and white pentagon (which was supposed to signify Indonesia's national ideology of "Panca Sila", or the "Five Principles", created by Sukarno in 1945).
Political instability meant that the Indonesian Air Force saw action against several regional rebellions in Indonesia such as PRRI, Permesta, Darul Islam-Tentara Islam Indonesia (DI/TII) and the Republic of South Maluku separatists.
Several Indonesian pilots scored their first kills, including Captain Ignatius Dewanto with his North American P-51 Mustang, who in 1958 shot down a Permesta Douglas B-26 Invader over Ambon. Its pilot, Allen Pope, an American CIA agent, was captured and tried in Jakarta, thus revealing the significant involvement of the CIA's "Operation Haik" in the rebellion.
The most famous Indonesian fighter pilot in this era was Rusmin Nurjadin, who became Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 1966 to 1969. Nurjadin commanded MiG-21 squadrons in 1962–65 and founded an acrobatic team in 1962 that flew the MiG-17F/PF Fresco over some cities in Indonesia. Small numbers of Indonesian Air Force pilots gained their reputation as aces in this era.
The need to prop up to what became Operation Trikora in Netherlands New Guinea and the rise of the Communist Party of Indonesia drew Indonesia closer to the Eastern Bloc. Several Soviet-built aircraft began to arrive in the early 1960s including the MiG-15UTI from Czechoslovakia, MiG-17F/PF, MiG-19S and MiG-21F-13, in addition to Ilyushin Il-28, Mil Mi-4, Mil Mi-6, Antonov An-12 and Avia 14 also from Czechoslovakia. Indonesia also received Lavochkin La-11, as well as Tupolev Tu-2 from China, intended to replace the B-25, but they never reached operational status. These aircraft served along with the remaining American aircraft such as North American B-25 Mitchell, Douglas A-26 Invader, Douglas C-47 Dakota and North American P-51 Mustang. It was during this period that the Indonesian Air Force became the first Air Force in Southeast Asia which acquired the capability of strategic bombing by acquiring the new Tupolev Tu-16 in 1961, before the acquisition of Ilyushin Il-28 by Vietnam People's Air Force. Around 25 Tu-16KS were delivered complete with AS-1 air-surface missiles. One crashed at the end of 1962.Gordon & Rigmat(2004) p120Djoko Poerwoko (2001) p97 To add with all these purchases was the first ever surface to air defence missile operated by Southeast Asians, the Soviet-designed S-75 Dvina, which were acquired in 1961.
This era also marked the last confrontation with the Dutch in Papua, before the Dutch, again under pressure of the United Nations, left in 1963. Several missions of Taiwan-based Lockheed U-2s from 35th Squadron flew over Maluku (Moluccas) and reported to Dutch military that there was a strong possibility that the Dutch would lose their air superiority over Papua if they continued the war.Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Year of 2011, Operasi Trikora, Page 3Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Operasi Udara Trikora, Year of 2011, Page 38. During Operation Trikora, the air force was deployed as follows:
7 P-51Ds based at Laha airbase, Ambon. One aircraft piloted by Second Lieutenant (AF) Prasetyo lost due to engine failure during the ferry flight from Makassar to Ambon. Prasetyo died after bailing out from the aircraft, landing in high-tide seas and could not be rescued by the Air Force's PBY-5 Catalina due to the extreme weather after his accident. 40 MiG-17F/PF aircraft on three airfields: Morotai (in northern Maluku), Amahai (in Seram) and Letfuan (in Kai Islands, located in the southwest of Papua). The aircraft had been stationed at Morotai before Operation Trikora for actions against PRRI-Permesta and the Republic of South Maluku separatists. The primary role of these aircraft were to provide air cover for the airlift and logistics aircraft during the early infiltration to Papua.Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Operasi Udara Trikora, Year of 2011, Page 38 If the war broke out, these MiG-17F/PF would provide the air cover for Tu-16 anti-shipping missions and Il-28 bombing missions,Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Operasi Udara Trikora, Year of 2011, Page 40–41 also for intercepting Dutch Hawker Hunters based in Numfor, Biak.Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Operasi Udara Trikora, Year of 2011, Page 34
4 B-25 Mitchells and two A-26 Invaders at Letfuan airbase. Their primary role was for transport and providing air cover for the airlift, until this role was assumed by the P-51Ds and MiG-17F/PFs. Dutch Lockheed P2V Neptunes were known as the strongest rival for these Letfuan-based units.Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Operasi Udara Trikora, Year of 2011, Page 44-46 18 Il-28s stationed first at Laha airbase, but then moved to Amahai airbase, due to the shortness of runway at Laha for the landing of the aircraft.Angkasa Edisi Koleksi No. 73, Operasi Udara Trikora, Year of 2011, Page 39 26 Tu-16s stationed in Iswahyudi Air Force Base near Ngawi, East Java in 41st and 42nd Squadron. Six aircraft were scrambled to Morotai airbase for the operation. These units were to threaten the Dutch naval fleet in Papua including HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81), the only aircraft carrier of the Dutch naval fleet. 24 Douglas C-47 Dakotas stationed at three airfields; Laha, Amahai and Letfuan. During an operation at Papua, one aircraft piloted by Captain (AF) Djalaludin Tantu and co-pilot Second Lieutenant (AF) Sukandar, was downed by a Dutch P2V. All crews bailed out safely from the aircraft, but were then captured by the Dutch forces. 10 Lockheed C-130 Hercules stationed at Halim Perdanakusuma airbase at Jakarta. Despite the warning from United States to not use the aircraft for the operation, it soon scrambled over the Papua for the airlift mission, due to the loss of C-47s, to Dutch Hawker Hunters and P2V Neptunes. The C-130's high altitude flying capability made it less vulnerable to interception.