The Indonesian Navy And Lebanese Soldiers Evacuation Exercises In The Mediterranean Sea

JAKARTA - Indonesian Navy soldiers who comedy KRI Diponegoro-365 medical aid and evacuation training (casevac) as well as training to transport goods/passengers from the ship to helicopters (winching exercise) with soldiers of the Lebanese Air Force (LAF-AF) when the ship sailed in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Information Service of the Fleet Command (Koarmada) II of the Indonesian Navy explained that the exercise was a follow-up to the mandate of the United Nations Maintenance Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) against its Maritime Task Force, which is to provide training to Lebanese Navy soldiers to improve their abilities and skills.

The commander of KRI Diponegoro-365 Marine Lt. Col. (P) Wirattyo Haprabu explained that the exercise, which took place on Tuesday (7/5), was not only to fulfill the mandate from the United Nations, but also to be an opportunity for close relations between the Indonesian Navy and the Lebanese army.

"The appointment of KRI Diponegoro-365 in this activity is a form of recognition and trust from MTF UNIFIL for TNI professionalism," said Wiratyo as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 8.

During the exercise, LAF-AF deployed the Bell 212 Helicopter with a callsign Phoenix to fly low on the KRI Diponegoro-365 deck. The helicopter crew, which is a LAF-AF soldier, continued to deploy stretchcher and rescuer tools to simulate transporting victims who needed first aid.

On the ship's deck, right under a low-flying helicopter, the medical team from KRI Diponegoro-365 swiftly transported the victims who would be evacuated by helicopters, and ensured that the victims were evacuated safely.

KRI Diponegoro-365, who has joined the TNI MTF Task Force Garuda XXVIII-O UNIFIL contingent since the end of 2023, has protected Lebanese waters with the Navy from UNIFIL MTF member countries. Apart from Indonesia, countries that sent warships and their Navy soldiers on UN peace missions in Lebanese waters include Italy, Greece, and Bangladesh.

The MTF Task Force in Lebanon is tasked with maintaining peace along the Lebanese and Israeli borders along with other task forces, including the TNI Mechanized Battalion Task Force (INDOBATT), the TNI Headquarters/Force Headquarters Supporter Task Force (FHQSU), the Indo Force Protection Company (FPC) Task Force, the Civil-Military Coordination Task Force / Civilian Military Coordination (CIMIC) TNI, the Military Community Outreach Unit (MCOU) Task Force, and the Level 2 Hospital Task Force.

Most TNI soldiers who are members of UNIFIL operate on land, while the MTF Task Force carries out its duties at sea.

Several tasks carried out by soldiers from the UNIFIL MTF Task Force, including patrolling the waters, along the border, preventing the illegal entry of weapons, and holding training for Lebanese Navy soldiers.