Jakarta (ANTARA) – IndonesiaAir Force will receive the third unit of C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft from the Defense Ministry on Tuesday (Aug 15), as the plane has arrived at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base on Wednesday (Aug 9).The Head of the Air Force’s Information Service, air commodore Agung Sasongkojati, confirmed on Friday (Aug 11), that the ministry will officially hand over the aircraft with A-1343 registration number on Tuesday. The third unit of the ordered military transport aircraft was flown from the factory of Lockheed Martin in Georgia, the United States, on Thursday (Aug 3) and embarked on a 33-hour-long flight to Jakarta. Sasongkojati said that the aircraft’s delivery flight involved two Indonesia Air Force pilots; major Aleg Chandra and captain Jatmiko Adi, and a loadmaster; captain Rico Aradea Putra. Two pilots from Lockheed Martin; Andrew White and Richard Anthony, and two loadmasters; Kevin Meadows and William Jeffrey, joined the flight. The ground operator welcomed the third C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft with a water salute upon its arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base. Several Defense Ministry and Air Force officials also greet and draped the disembarking crews with batik clothing. Indonesia has ordered five C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft from Lockheed Martin, all of which are assigned to the Squadron 31 of the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta. “The fourth and fifth units will arrive in Jakarta later in October 2023 and January 2024, respectively,” he said. The Air Force has received two units of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules; A-1339 and A-1340, that arrived in Jakarta and were handed over by the Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto on March 6 and 8.
Source: Antara News Agency