The Indonesian Air Force welcomed a new Dassault Falcon 8X business jet for VIP/VVIP missions.
ir Force chief of staff Air Chief Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo welcomed on Wednesday a new Dassault Falcon 8X business jet at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta.
Fadjar led a series of traditional processions in welcoming the new aircraft, including a water cannon salute, pouring flower water over the aircraft’s nose and smashing a pottery vase near the nose wheel.
"The Falcon 8X, registration code A-0801, will increase the strength of the control and command of the Indonesian Air Force and is designed to support leadership in mobilizing quickly to fulfill their leadership functions," Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Edwin Adrian Sumantha said in a statement on Wednesday.
Edwin said that two aircraft that were received in December, a Falcon 8X with tail number A-0808 and a Falcon 7X with tail number A-0707, would be returned to French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation.
The two aircraft were on loan to the Indonesian Air Force as interim units to train the pilots, maintenance crews and cabin crews while awaiting the arrival of two brand new Falcon 8X planes procured by Indonesia.
The deliveries of the interim Falcon 7X and 8X and the brand-new Falcon 8X airplanes were the result of the Defense Ministry's negotiation with Dassault to buy 42 Rafale multirole jet fighters.
The Falcon business jets are deployed with the Indonesian Air Force’s 17th Squadron, which provides presidential flights as well as VIP/VVIP flights for the Indonesian Military (TNI) as well as other governmental agencies.
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