US Grant of F-16 Fighter Jets to Arrive in October

Pekanbaru, Riau (Antara) - The first batch of the F-16 fighter jets, which are a grant from the United States, is expected to arrive in Indonesia in October, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Ida Bagus Putu Dunia. "The F-16s will arrive before the commemoration of the TNI (Indonesian military)'s anniversary on October 5," he said when inspecting the Roesmin Nurjadin air base here on Wednesday. The F-16 fighter jets will arrive in Indonesia in stages. "In the initial phase, eight planes will be delivered," he said. Marshal Ida bagus, who was accompanied by chief of the Air Force's operations command I Rear Marshal M. Syaugi and commander of the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base Col. Andyawan, inspected the air base that will house a squadron of F-16 fighter jets. "We are monitoring directly the development of the F-16 squadron. So far, the development is quite satisfactory. All the devices are complete. We hope that in the future this squadron of F-16s will stay at the forefront of our effort to safeguard the sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia," he said. He added that the 16 F-16 fighter jets will be stationed in the air base. According to Col. Andyawan, the squadron, which was built on 7 hectares of land, is equipped with hangar, maintenance hangar, aircraft parking lots, ammunition depot and dormitory. Pekanbaru was chosen as the squadron of the F-16s because of its strategic location to protect the western part of Indonesia, he said. (*) Reporting by FB Anggoro