Look Forward To August 17 In The Sky Of The Jakarta Palace Area, 18 Fighter Planes Will Twist To Form The Number 77

F-16 fighter aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta. (ANTARA/HO-Dispenau)

JAKARTA - The sky of the Jakarta State Palace will be enlivened by maneuvering 18 fighter aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) when the 77th Anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) falls on August 17, 2022.

The Head of the Information Service of the Indonesian Air Force, First Marshal of the TNI, Indan Gilang B, said that the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft would twist to form the same number as the Indonesian Independence Day.

"The planes will also carry out flying formations forming the number Seven Seven right above the State Palace," he said in a press release, quoted from Antara, Friday, August 12.

The presence of the eagles guarding the archipelago's skies to carry out a flypast over the State Palace, Jakarta.

The 18 aircraft from the 3rd Air Squadron at the Iswahjudi Air Base and the 16th Air Squadron from the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base had previously carried out a number of exercises in the sky of Magetan, East Java.

Dozens of F-16 fighter aircraft have been at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta since Thursday, August 11, after taking a flight from Iswahjudi Air Base, Magetan.

The arrival of 18 aircraft was divided into five flights, namely "Dragon Flight" (4 aircraft), "Garuda Flight" (4 aircraft), "Viper Flight" (3 aircraft), "Excel Flight" (4 aircraft), and "Valiant Flight" (3 planes).

In the next few days, dozens of F-16 fighter aircraft will also carry out exercises in Jakarta before appearing on 17 August.

In addition to combat aircraft, the 77th Indonesian Independence Day will be enlivened by an air demonstration of 8 helicopters combined from the Indonesian Air Force, Indonesian Army, Navy and Police. The helicopter, which will fly formation carrying a large red and white flag, flew over the State Palace.

The 8 helicopters consist of two Indonesian Air Force helicopters (EC-725 Caracal and NAS-332 Super Puma), two AH-64 Apache TNI AD helicopters, two AS-565 Mbe Panther helicopters from the Indonesian Navy and two AW-169 Police helicopters.