Australia To Grant Four Hercules Planes To Indonesia

Marking 50 years of service with the Royal Australian Air Force, two C-130J (1 hidden) and a C-130H Hercules fly in formation along the South-East coast of NSW. Mid Caption; The RAAF celebrated 50 years of operating the C-130 Hercules. This milestone was marked at RAAF base Richmond with a family day for 37 Squadron members and their families, followed by an evening 'Hangar Bash' for past and present members of the RAAF Hercules community. (Photo: Australia DoD)

January 3 2012, Jakarta: The Australian government is expected to grant four C-130 Hercules planes to Indonesia as the technical teams from the two countries may meet in the middle of this January, Spokesman for the Defense Ministry, Hartind Asrin, told ANTARA here Tuesday.

The two teams are expected to discuss technical matters on giving the grant, he said, adding that the grant was earlier expected to be given in 2011, Hartind said.

Besides in Jakarta, the teams would also meet in Australia to directly inspect the four Hercules aircraft. The Australian grant has been approved by theUS as the producer of Hercules, Hartind said.

Meanwhile, planning assistant to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Rodi Suprasodjo, said the Indonesian Air Force needs 30 units of Hercules aircraft and now it has only 21.

The grant will bring the existing number and the rest will be met by buying the aircraft. "The 30 Hercules planes will include two units of aircraft tanks, two units of VIP aircraft and 26 operational aircraft for two battalions," he said.

Rodi said the one that will be granted is Type H which will be used by the Indonesian Air Force to replace Type B which has become already too old.

RAAF C-130Hs gifted to Indonesia

Australia will donate four C-130H Hercules transports to Indonesia in a deal announced this weekend at the Asia-Pacific summit in Bali.

The quartet of ex-RAAF aircraft, worth about $30 million, will be tabbed for humanitarian and disaster relief efforts, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said in announcing the deal. Australia also announced plans to send three high-speed naval boats to patrol Indonesian waters in a bid to combat people smugglers.

The C-130Hs were due to be sold on the open market and reportedly require about $25 million in maintenance before they’re ready to fly.

The move came as Gillard sought to allay regional concerns over Australia’s growing military ties with the US. The White House two days earlier announced plans to sell Indonesia 24 refurbished F-16 fighters.

Source: ANTARA Bali/Australian Aviation