The fighter jets belonging to the 16th Air Squadron based at Pekanbaru's Roesmin Nurjadin Airfield will escort the flights of heads of state to their point of arrival at Banten's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport or Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airfield.
"Our procedure requires the Air Force to conduct an escort to VVIP flights with heads of state on board," TNI AU's National Air Operations Command Chief Vice Marshal Tedi Rizalihadi stated after the mission's roll call at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase here on Thursday.
Rizalihadi noted that the F-16 jets conducting the combat air patrol (CAP) mission are equipped with complete weapons such as air-to-air missiles and machine guns.
He remarked that the escort mission also aims to convince visiting heads of state or dignitaries that the Indonesian Air Force will ensure their airborne safety until their arrival.
Meanwhile, Rizalihadi revealed that 2,254 Air Force personnel will be deployed for the escort mission ahead of the Inauguration Day. The personnel belong to Quick Reaction Forces Command (Kopasgat), 1st Air Operations Command, and other Air Force units.
Officers stationed at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase, as well as Atang Sendjaja Airbase in Bogor, Husein Sastranegara Airbase in Bandung, and Sugiri Sukani Airbase in Majalengka, all in West Java, will also be deployed as supporting force for the mission.
The command chief stated that the officers would be assigned to secure airports of arrival for foreign dignitaries, man anti-drone defense equipment, and manage radar service.
Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Abcandra Muhammad Akbar Supratman earlier remarked that around 21 state guests from friendly countries, including ASEAN countries, will be present at the presidential inauguration on October 20, 2024.
Meanwhile, MPR speaker Ahmad Muzani remarked that the parliament will have time until Friday (October 18) to finalize the names of heads of state and foreign dignitaries attending the inauguration ceremony.
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Translator: Genta Tenri M, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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