Hercules MRO Center at Kertajati Airport Must Be Under Full Indonesian Control

JAKARTA - The plan to build a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center for Hercules C-130 aircraft in the Asia region at Kertajati Airport, West Java, is considered to be under the full control of Indonesia. This step is crucial to ensure total supervision of the strategic activity.

Defense analyst and observer from the Strategic Defense Studies Institute (Keris), Hanif Rahadian, emphasized that Indonesia's position as host must place the government as the main authority in managing facilities.

"Indonesia must have full control and control over all activities of the use of Kertajati Airport, including regarding the granting of access permits, use of facilities, movement of foreign personnel, and activities carried out within the MRO area," said Hanif when contacted, Thursday, June 18.

Hanif added, the Indonesian government and the United States as manufacturers of the Hercules aircraft must draw up a clear agreement regarding the scope of cooperation and operational limitations from the beginning. This is necessary so that the presence of the MRO facility has an optimal impact on national interests.

"We must remain the main authority that determines the rules of the game and operational limits," he said.

Regarding public concerns that this project could make Indonesia's geopolitics too inclined towards the United States, Hanif suggested that the government prioritize transparency. Open information is considered important to prevent misunderstandings in the community regarding the purpose of developing the aerospace facility.

The plan to make Kertajati Airport in Majalengka Regency as the MRO center of Hercules in Asia was previously pushed by the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan). The discourse emerged after Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin held a meeting with United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.

Head of the Defense Information Bureau of the General Staff of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, confirmed that the selection of Kertajati Airport was based on the availability of large land and the feasibility of adequate aviation support facilities. This project is considered strategic to strengthen the national defense industry and aviation logistics support.

"This step is also in line with efforts to strengthen the independence of the defense industry and support for national strategic aviation logistics," said Rico.

Although it is considered to have great potential to expand cooperation with Hercules user countries in Asia, the Ministry of Defense has not yet disclosed in detail the development and target time for the implementation of the construction of the MRO facility.