The Ministry of Defense Says the Development of the MRO Hercules is Still in the Planning Stage

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said that the construction of a C-130 Hercules aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center at Kertajati Airport, Majalengka Regency, West Java, is still in the planning stage.

This confirms that there is no deadline for when the MRO construction will begin.

"In principle, the government is still in the planning and maturing stage of concepts related to the development of the national aerospace ecosystem in the Kertajati area, including the development of MRO facilities for commercial and military needs gradually," said the Head of the Defense Information Bureau of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, as reported by ANTARA, Selas,a May 26.

Rico said the Ministry of Defense must consider many things before starting the MRO development process, such as the technicalities of its cooperation agreement, the technical development of the MRO facility, and the MRO management model to be used.

All of these aspects, continued Rico, must be considered in order to ensure that the operation of MRO is in line with national interests.

In addition, the construction and operation of MRO must also involve the role of the domestic defense industry.

Thus, the existence of MRO can drive the country's economy while strengthening the quality of domestic defense industry products.

Previously, the government considered the MRO development plan after the Minister of Defense (Menhan) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met with the United States War Minister Pete Hegseth some time ago.

During the meeting, which took place at the Pentagon, the United States, Pete expressed his intention to build a maintenance center for Hercules aircraft engines in the Asian region.

Sjafrie also conveyed the offer to President Prabowo Subianto. The President finally offered Kertajati Airport as the location of the MRO center for the Hercules aircraft.