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Air Force expels foreign military plane from Natuna airspace
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On the frontline: President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (center), accompanied by Navy chief of staff Adm. Ade Supandi (left) and other senior officials, inspects the KRI Imam Bonjol 383 warship after a Cabinet meeting onboard in Natuna waters, Riau Islands, last Thursday. Of late, Chinese fishing vessels have several times encroached into Indonesia’s waters around the Natunas to catch fish illegally. (Courtesy Setpres/Krishadiyanto)
T
he visit of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to Natuna waters on June 23 has not become a strong signal that Indonesia will never tolerate any intrusion into its territory because a foreign military plane, a Hercules C 130, still dared to fly in Natuna airspace on Saturday.
Two Indonesian F-16 military planes from the Air Force had to chase the foreign plane away from the Natuna airspace.
Ranai Air Base commander Col. Nurtantio Affan told thejakartapost.com on Sunday that his command had got an order from Jakarta to immediately expel the foreign plane that had entered Indonesian territory illegally.
“We did not manage to detect what country the plane came from, but we have sent it away to the north of Natuna Island,” Nurtantio said, adding that the Indonesian plane had tried to communicate with the foreign plane, but the foreign plane did not respond.
Quoting a source from Angkasa magazine, tribunnews.com reported that the plane was a Malaysian plane that was flown from Subang, Malaysia.
The Indonesian F-16s that were tasked to expel the foreign plane were piloted by Air Squadron commander Lt. Col. Nur Alimi and First. Lt. Col. Nehemia Anang. They flew F-16 TS-1608 and TS-1610 planes.
They started to fly at 10:56 a.m. local time and detected the foreign plane at 11:04 a.m.
Nurtantio said that since January, the Indonesian Air Force had ungraded the status of the Ranai Air Base from Type C to B and the commander was also upgraded from a lieutenant colonel to colonel. “Currently, we have four to six planes on standby. We can ask for additional planes from other squadrons if they are needed,” he added. (bbn)
