Indonesia’s offer to host US military aircraft repair hub tests non-aligned foreign policy
If Indonesia turns Kertajati Airport into a Hercules repair hub, it risks being seen as siding with the US in times of war, analysts say
The
government’s decision to accept a
proposal to turn an underused airport into a maintenance hub for
C-130 Hercules military aircraft has stirred up a familiar debate: how far can Jakarta deepen defence ties with Washington while preserving its non-aligned stance? The plan, which would make Indonesia home to the first facility of its kind in Southeast Asia, emerged alongside a separate discussion over allowing
aircraft to access Indonesian airspace, adding to concerns over sovereignty, transparency and a “free and active” foreign policy.
The neutral doctrine has long guided Indonesia’s efforts to avoid alignment with major powers while still playing an active role in international affairs. Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said on May 19 that his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, had floated the idea of a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub for C-139 Hercules aircraft in Indonesia.
“He offered it as this doesn’t exist in any Asean country. He said: ‘How about I centralise C-130 maintenance throughout Asia in Indonesia at our expense?’ I reported to President [
], who told me to ‘give him Kertajati’. Well, we’re working on that,” Sjafrie told parliament. Sjafrie also revealed that he had signed a letter of intent with Hegseth last month granting US military aircraft access to Indonesian airspace, but no commitment was made.
“An LoI is not a Letter of Commitment. We defend the constitution and maintain our national interests. In our defence cooperation [with Washington], we have the principles of mutual benefit and mutual respect,” he said. “The LoI states respect for each country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Second, it requires mechanisms and standing operating procedures, consistent with the laws of each country, if we agree on [the airspace access].”
Kertajati, located in West Java, is dubbed a “ghost airport” due to its nearly deserted terminals and lack of commercial passenger traffic. Officially opened in 2018, it sits on 1,800 hectares (4,500 acres) of land and offers a 3,000 metre (10,000 foot) long runway that can accommodate wide-bodied jets such as
747s and 787s.
Despite its status as an international airport, the US$146.1 million operation currently only has one regular route to Singapore, departing twice a week. During the Christmas and New Year holiday season last year, it served around only 1,200 passengers, according to operator data.
To boost its utility, Kertajati has started to serve haj flights since last month. Defence Ministry spokesman Rico Sirait told Kompas that Kertajati was chosen due to its extensive available land and “adequate flight support facilities”. The new MRO hub would also boost “the independence of the defence industry and support national strategic aviation logistics”, he said.
Indonesia has also proposed an MRO facility for
vessels. In August, state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia told six US congressional staffers visiting its shipyard facilities in Surabaya that it was “ready to become an MRO partner for US Navy vessels currently operating in the Indo-Pacific region”.
Wary of Washington
Unease over US intentions remains deeply embedded in Indonesia’s political debate, with some officials warning that cooperation must not come at the expense of sovereignty or neutrality. On May 19, Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra went further, saying Indonesia could become Washington’s next target for annexation after Greenland because of its vast resources. “Mineral resources are in Greenland. [The US] wants to annex Greenland, but is facing
. If a Nato country invades another Nato country, Nato will disband. Besides Greenland, which country is their next target? [Indonesia]. This is what they’re after,” Yusril said during a speech at a university in Surabaya.
“From Guam to Papua, it’s only a six-hour sea journey. Guam is a US territory east of the Philippines, and serves as a military base. Frankly, we’re not ready for war. If we were to go to war, we’d only be able to fight for four days. After that, we’d run out of ammunition and surrender.” Aisha Kusumasomantri, director of external relations at think tank Indo-Pacific Strategic Intelligence, dismissed Yusril’s claim. “While
is unpredictable, in terms of the US annexing [Papua], I don’t think it will go that far,” she said.
“Indonesia is not belligerent in any way, whether in the
, or in the
. We are impartial. Washington can still woo Indonesia with non-military approaches, so I don’t think that [an attack] is possible.”
Neutrality question
To set minds at rest, Jakarta should “be careful and transparent” about the Hercules repair hub plan, including on whether the facility would “exclusively support the operations of US military aircraft in Asia”, lawmaker Tubagus Hasanuddin said. “There could be a perception that this [MRO] constitutes a US military base in Indonesia. This certainly requires careful consideration,” the MP said in a statement.
“The US military’s strategic interests are strongly embedded in the plan” since the offer came from Hegseth instead of the aircraft manufacturer, he warned. Pornomo Rovan Astri Yoga, an expert on law of naval warfare and maritime security, said that the planned facility could acquire broader strategic significance during wartime.
“In times of peace like now, there is no problem with the MRO hub from an international legal perspective, but it would be trickier if there is an armed conflict between the US and China related to the Taiwan contingency,” the Indonesian Navy officer said.
The 1923 Hague Rules of Air Warfare forbid belligerent military aircraft from entering neutral jurisdiction during wartime. “There’s no safe practice yet for belligerent countries’ military aircraft to undergo repairs at airports or maintenance facilities in neutral countries,” Pornomo said. “This is different from [maritime neutrality], where belligerent warships are permitted to enter neutral ports on limited stays to undergo an absolutely necessary repair, with the caveat that it does not increase the fighting capacity of the warship.”
The existence of a maintenance facility for US military aircraft in Indonesia could displease Beijing if conflict were to flare up between China and the US, Pornomo said. “The question is how we can uphold neutrality, especially during the Taiwan contingency. If an armed conflict occurs, we could be perceived by Beijing as being non-neutral due to [the facility] and the [potential] granting of blanket overflight access,” Pornomo said.
