Indonesia Eyes Turkish Drones - But Which Types?

Indonesia for its part operates six CH-4B UCAVs acquired from China since 2019. This type fought off competition from the Wing Loong I and the Turkish Anka-S offered by TAI and PTDI. [8] Indonesia's CH-4Bs can be are armed with air-to-ground missiles (AGMs) and have also been spotted with a communications relay or intelligence pod. [8] The country is also pursuing a domestic UCAV programme run by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI). [9] Known as the Elang Hitam (Black Eagle), this programme is still several years away from spawning an operational system however. When it does enter service, it is destined to provide capabilities comparable to the CH-4B.

An interest in Turkish drones, almost certainly those designed by Baykar Tech, indicates that Indonesia is either eying additional UCAVs like the Bayraktar TB2 to supplement its CH-4Bs or drones that offer entirely novel capabilities (or both). Indonesia acquired its CH-4Bs with the initial aim of doctrine-building purposes and training crews on the use of MALE UCAVs, and it currently appears unlikely that more CH-4Bs will be acquired. [10] Especially the Bayraktar TB3, Akıncı and TAI Aksungur could offer novel capabilities to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).

 

Indonesia's indigenous Elang Hitam UCAV.

Indonesia's unique geographical nature whereby most of its population centers are separated by seas poses significant challenges towards the defence of the country. The TNI are responsible for patrolling an archipelago of 17,000 islands that extend 5,150 kilometers from east to west. For this purpose, it operates large numbers of patrol craft and maritime patrol aircraft to keep tabs on illegal entries and activies occuring within its territorial waters. As it happens, Dutch colonial forces were once faced with the same question of how to best patrol the immense archipelago.

 

During the late 1930s the Dutch grew increasingly concerned about the security of the Dutch East Indies, a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. Rather than building up a large naval force that would take at least a decade to design and construct, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force instead came up with the aerial cruiser concept. [11] This concept called for the acquisition of large numbers of bomber aircraft and the construction of forward airstrips in every corner of the archipelago. In case of a Japanese invasion fleet nearing one of the Indonesian islands, large numbers of bombers could then be deployed to airstrips closer to the location of anger.

 

For this purpose, the Dutch East Indies acquired 121 Model 139WH and Model 166 bombers (export versions of the Martin B-10) from the United States. Although already dated by the time they entered service in the late 1930s, these were the only types that could readily be acquired. This fleet was later strengthened by bomb-toting Dornier Do-24 flying boats and Douglas Boston bombers, six of which reached the Dutch East Indies before it fell to Japan. [11] Although the old Martins were envisaged to be able to outrun and outgun Japanese fighters, their design parameters were soon overtaken by new Japanese fighter designs like the A6M Zero. Nonetheless, the Martins scored some notable victories and their acquisition was in essence the only viable option to mount a defence of the archipelago.

The aerial cruiser concept could perhaps be brought back to life to meet Indonesia's modern defence requirements through the acquistion of the Bayraktar Akıncı, which's 7,500km range and 24+-hour endurance is more than sufficient to cover each corner of the Indonesian archipelago while based at a centrally located air base. Airports located on other islands could support their operations by acting as forward arming and refuelling points (FARPs), ensuring each Akıncı is never long without fuel and munitions. The Akıncı also comes armed with a variety of standoff weapons, including 275+-km-ranged (anti-ship) cruise missiles and 100+-km-ranged beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAMs), allowing it to mount offensive operations against land, sea and (and to a limited degree) air targets.

 

Indonesia's 100+ airports and air bases that are capable of supporting the operations of unmanned combat aerial vehicles.

The use of manned combat aircraft as aerial cruisers by Indonesia is hampered by their shorter endurance, a lack of (enough) tanker aircraft and their significant acquisition costs. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) currently operates a fleet of some 100 combat aircraft, including more than 30 F-16s and a dozen Su-30s. Other types include the Su-27, T-50, Hawk 200 and Embraer EMB 314 turboprop light attack aircraft. In February 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force revealed that the country intends to purchase the F-15EX and Dassault Rafale, likely putting an end to Indonesia's earlier plans to acquire the Su-35. [12] Indonesia is also a partner in the KF-X fighter programme with South Korea, although an actual acquisition of the aircraft by the Indonesian Air Force is all but certain. [13]

Used alongside this exotic inventory of combat aircraft are a number of guided weapon types. The Su-30MKIs can deploy Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles, Kh-59M and Kh-29TE TV-guided AGMs, the F-16s can be armed with up to 100 JDAM guided bombs acquired in 2019 and AGM-65 AGMs, which also arm the T-50 and Hawk 200. Indonesia's CH-4Bs use AR-1 and AR-2 AGMs. All but the AR-1/2 and AGM-65s are relatively poorly suited to provide effective fire-support to ground forces, forcing the TNI-AU to fall back on the use of unguided rockets and a variety of dumb bombs. Although the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) has recently acquired attack helicopters armed with ATGMs, these are still lacking in numbers, with only eight AH-64Es and seven Mi-24s currently available for use in the entire country.

 

[1] Turkish Drones Are Conquering Central Asia: The Bayraktar TB2 Arrives To Kyrgyzstan https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/12/turkish-drones-are-conquering-central.html

[2] Taking Africa By Storm: Niger Acquires The Bayraktar TB2 https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2021/11/taking-africa-by-storm-niger-acquires.html