Our Thoughts

“In the air, the defensive has no value at all. He who is unprepared is lost,” wrote General Guilio Douhet, an Italian air power strategist in his book The Command of the Air. General Douhet emphasised the importance of building a strong defence to safeguard a nation’s sovereignty. He also predicted that future wars would be dominated by air power and technology, and those who fail to prepare will lose.

As a vast archipelagic nation, Indonesia’s airspace covers approximately 81 percent of ASEAN’s total airspace, according to data from the National Legal Development Agency (BPHN) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights. If stretched across a straight line, the distance from Banda Aceh to Jayapura reaches 5,121km, almost the same width as Europe from its westernmost point to the east (5,300km). President Joko Widodo once even noted that a direct flight from Aceh to Jayapura takes no less than 9 hours and 15 minutes.

Currently, the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) operates 14 Type A air force bases (AFB) tasked with supporting national defence and safeguarding the sovereignty of the country’s airspace. These bases house fighter squadrons, equipment, and personnel, enabling air security operations, defence missions, and tactical air operations. They also engage in VIP and VVIP missions.

With the development of the Nusantara New Capital City (IKN) in Penajam North Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, the air squadrons will have a wider role in protecting national sovereignty. In light of this situation, the government plans to establish a new Type A AFB to support security operations in the region.

The TNI AU Chief of Staff (KASAU), ACM Fadjar Prasetyo, stated that the construction of the new AFB would also involve relocating two squadrons, namely the 17^th and 45^th Air Squadrons, which are responsible for supporting presidential and vice presidential activities. Additionally, an air sector control unit for IKN has been established. This newly formed organisation will be relocated along with TNI AU’s primary weapon systems. “We will relocate them there with new weapon systems, ensuring the security of airspace around IKN,” said the KASAU in early April 2022.

The Commander of the National Air Operations Command (Koopsudnas), AM M. Tony Harjono, revealed that one of the primary weapon systems to be deployed at the new AFB will be a radar system. “What is certain is that Koopsudnas will deploy a radar these, in addition to constructing a new runway,” M. Harjono stated at the Koopsudnas headquarters. The radar will be used to monitor aircraft movements in IKN’s airspace.

A former KASAU (2002–05), ACM (Ret.) Chappy Hakim, hopes that the relocation of the capital to East Kalimantan will serve as momentum for the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to develop a more proportional defence system. This aligns with Article 7, Paragraph (1) of Law (UU) No. 34/2004 on TNI, which states that one of the military’s primary duties is to uphold national sovereignty and safeguard Indonesia’s territorial integrity based on the national ideology, Pancasila, and the 1945 Constitution. “So far, Indonesia’s national air defence system has not been regarded as a critical priority. It is still not seen as something closely tied to national security,” M. Hakim wrote in his column published on Kompas.com on November 13, 2022.

Anticipating Threats

The government plans to allocate 300 hectares of land within the Central Government Core Area (KIPP) of IKN for the TNI. However, former TNI Commander Gen (Ret.) Andika Perkasa revealed that the military will establish a new headquarters on a much larger 4,500-hectare site. This new headquarters will integrate all three branches of the TNI, with land allocations of approximately 800 hectares for the Army (TNI AD), 1,000 hectares for the Navy (TNI AL), and 2,700 hectares for the Air Force (TNI AU).

The broader strategic plan by the TNI Headquarters also includes a new AFB in IKN, which will be complemented by an Air Wing, a Special Forces Command Battalion (Yonka Paskhas), a Capital Protection Missile Unit (Satrudal Pam Ibu Kota), an Air Defence Detachment (Denhanud), and an Air Force Hospital (RSAU). Moreover, in 2025–29, the TNI AU plans to develop new infrastructure to support new units such as a fighter squadron, a transport squadron, a helicopter squadron, a national air defence sector command, an air defence (hanud) regiment, and a radar unit. No less than 1,147 personnel would be assigned to these new units. Additionally, the new AFB will be situated 25–30km from the State Palace and 10km from the TNI Headquarters.

However, beyond just the design, the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas has also raised concerns about potential aerial threats to IKN. These threats are categorised into three groups. Firstly, the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA)—a military alliance comprising the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore— and AUKUS—a military alliance between Australia, the UK, and the United States (US). Secondly, specific state actors. Finally, non-state actors. The risks include missile or bomb strikes, reconnaissance by unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs), threats involving Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) agents, and high-level criminal activities.

Moreover, as a centre of gravity, IKN is located near the Flight Information Regions (FIR) of neighbouring countries, including Singapore FIR, Kinabalu FIR, and Manila FIR. According to Bappenas data, IKN also falls within the range of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and hypersonic missiles from certain states. “When it comes to IKN and external threats, there are indeed unique challenges. Compared to Jakarta, IKN is geographically closer to geopolitical flashpoints that could trigger armed conflicts in the future,” said a military analyst from Semar Sentinel, Fauzan Malufti, in an interview with Kompas.com on Saturday (6/5/2023). These flashpoints include the South China Sea, Taiwan Strait, East China Sea, and the Korean Peninsula.

M. Malufti pointed out that one of the strategic consequences of relocating IKN to East Kalimantan is the need to enhance the Indonesian military’s ability to detect, deter, and neutralise threats beyond the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). He noted that this requirement is already included in Indonesia’s military doctrine, particularly in active defence, layered defence, and anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) principles. M. Malufti emphasised that military units and weapon systems across the three service branches must be fully integrated, ensuring interoperability and mutual support. “Integration is crucial because each branch has its own units and defensive capabilities,” he said.

Lemhannas Proposes a Concept

Recognising the complexity of the air defence system required to secure both IKN and Indonesia’s broader airspace, the Governor of the National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas), Andi Widjajanto, proposed an air deployment concept to support security and defence operations. According to M. Widjajanto, the proposed air defence strategy is based on air-centric warfare, positioning air power as the core of IKN’s defence strategy. “We have presented this strategy to the government,” M. Widjajanto stated during Lemhannas’ 2022 Year-End Address in Jakarta on December 21, 2022.

M. Widjajanto explained that an air-centric defence strategy is essential for securing IKN. Lemhannas’ projections show that future conflicts will rely heavily on aerial combat, incorporating new and hybrid technologies. He also highlighted cybersecurity as another key defence concern for IKN, drawing lessons from the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022.

“Observing what is happening, particularly in Russia and Ukraine, we can see the emergence of new technologies being developed and deployed in the conflict. The most prominent aspect is its air-centric nature, especially with drones and now hypersonic missiles,” M. Widjajanto stated. Therefore, he hopes that Indonesia will adopt the latest air defence and cybersecurity technologies to be implemented in IKN as soon as possible.

Kompas.com   |   Nirmala Maulana Achmad