KSAU: Banjarbaru Radar Unit Secures IKN Air Defense

BANJARBARU - Air Force Chief of Staff (KSAU) Marshal TNI M. Tonny Harjono said the Banjarbaru Radar Unit (Satrad) in South Kalimantan (Kalsel), which is now starting the development stage, will later be tasked with securing air defenses in the capital city of Nusantara (IKN).

"The radar Ground-Controlled Interception (GCI) range is up to 515 kilometers, so apart from securing the sea lanes of the Indonesian Islands II and the waters south of Kalimantan to IKN," said Tonny when laying the first stone for the construction of the Banjarbaru Satrad, reported by ANTARA, Friday, January 10.

The Banjarbaru Satrad built by PT Len Industri (Persero) is targeted to be completed by the end of 2025 and will start full operation in early 2026.

The main buildings include radar towers and supporting facilities stand on the land of Radar Permai Street, Guntung Manggis Village, Landasan Ulin District, Banjarbaru.

Then a complex was also built where Air Force personnel lived on Garuda Street, Liang Anggang District, Banjarbaru.

KSAU revealed that it built 25 Satrad in Indonesia, including 13 new Satrad built by PT Len Industri, the Defense Industry BUMN holding company, which is fully committed to strengthening Indonesia's air defenses.

"Later on, all regions in Indonesia will no longer have blind spots, so that all of them can be monitored by radar," he said.

President Director of PT Len Industri Bobby Rasyidin said that GCI radar is one of the important parts of the Government to Government (G to G) cooperation between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of France.

Its radar system functions to detect and track various types of air threats, such as aircraft, drones, and missiles at large distances.

With this radar, said Tonny, the Indonesian Air Force as the user will have better air surveillance capabilities and be able to respond quickly to all possible forms of threats.