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Aging fleet again takes its toll
President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo renewed his pledge on Tuesday to modernize the countryâs aging weapons systems and military equipment in the wake of the crash of an Air Force C-130 Hercules in Medan, North Sumatra, which killed at least 113 people on board
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President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo renewed his pledge on Tuesday to modernize the country's aging weapons systems and military equipment in the wake of the crash of an Air Force C-130 Hercules in Medan, North Sumatra, which killed at least 113 people on board.
Jokowi, who was briefed about the crash during his official visit to Cilacap, Central Java, said his government would launch an audit of the country's defense system, while at the same time pledging that he would step up efforts to modernize weaponry and equipment.
'Since these accidents have occurred frequently, we have to modernize and renew [defense equipment]. We will launch a total audit because accidents have occurred more than once or twice,' Jokowi said.
Following the crash, the government has been urged to continue its ongoing efforts to modernize the country's air defense system.
A number of lawmakers in the House of Representatives Commission I, which oversees defense and foreign affairs, renewed their call for the modernization of the country's aging defense systems.
Commission I member Pramono Anung, of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said that most of the Air Force's Hercules aircraft were no longer in good shape due to their age and the lack of quality spare parts.
'We, in Commission I, have asked the government to buy new planes for the Air Force. The current fleet is mostly made up of old, rickety aircraft. It's a shame that our soldiers still have to board them,' he said.
According to Air Force chief of staff Air Marshall Agus Supriatna, as quoted by Antara news agency, the Hercules carrying 12 crew members, including the pilot Capt. Sandy Permana, and 101 passengers, believed to be mainly families of military personnel, crashed on its way to Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, two minutes after take off from the Soewondo Air Force Base in Medan.
As of 9 p.m. Tuesday night, rescue teams had reportedly recovered the remains of 75 bodies, mostly from the plane wreckage.
According to the Air Force, the plane, which was built in the US in 1964, had undergone an inspection before taking off on Tuesday.
Commission I chairman Mahfudz Siddiq said the crash once again highlighted the urgent need for the modernization of the country's military equipment. Mahfudz, a politician from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) said Commission I was working to get details on the origin of the doomed Hercules.
'We are still trying to identify if the plane was one donated by other countries or whether it was an old Hercules plane that recently underwent maintenance in Singapore. Whichever it is, it highlights the urgent need to modernize our military's fleet,' he said.
Mahfudz also called on the government not to accept any more used aircraft or ships, in light of the manifest risks.
In May 2009, a C-130 Hercules carrying military personnel and their families hit several homes on the ground, bursting into flames and scattering debris across a wide area in Magetan, East Java, killing 101 people, mostly civilians.
In April this year, an F-16 jet fighter burst into flames before takeoff at an event held to honor Jokowi at the Indonesian Military (TNI) headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.
The F-16 was one of several aircraft that the US recently provided to the TNI in the form of a grant. At that time, the Air Force's Agus said he would review the procurement policy on refurbished jets, adding that it would be better for the government to procure new jets instead of refurbished ones.
Iis Ginarsah, defense expert from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) warned that the latest crash could affect the morale of military personnel.
'The latest accident has caused material and most importantly personnel losses to the TNI. This could be detrimental to our national defense as it affects troops' morale and deterrence ability in critical flashpoints,' he told The Jakarta Post.
Iis added that any modernization of the defense systems should also include TNI logistical systems and maintenance procedures.
'Military modernization is not about procurement alone. The TNI should also modernize its logistical systems and maintenance procedures. This is vital for increased operational readiness and rapid deployment to mitigate the potential effects of 'strategic surprises',' he said.
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Aging Hercules
1960: 10 units comprising eight C-130B cargo variants and two C-130B tanker variants
1975: Three units of type C-130E
1980: 12 units of type C-130 H (standard), C-130 H-30 (Stretch), L-100-30 Super Hercules and C-130 H/MP (Maritime Patrol)
1995: Five units of type C-130 L-100 Super Hercules version, from Pelita Air Servis and Merpati Nusantara
2013-2014: Three units from Australia
