Colonel Arif Djoko, head of the C-130 Modernization Task Force, said each aircraft will undergo a center wing box replacement (CWBR) and an avionics upgrade program (AUP), with work expected to take six to seven months per unit.
“After these upgrades, each aircraft is projected to gain an additional 15 years of service, or roughly 25,000 flight hours,” Arif told reporters at PTDI’s Bandung facility on Wednesday.
The $150 million contract — equivalent to about 2.1 trillion rupiah — covers nine aircraft and includes replacing aging CWBR components that have reached their 45,000-flight-hour limit, as well as upgrading avionics from analog to digital systems.
Arif noted that all nine Hercules aircraft are H-model units procured between 1980 and 1982, making them more than 40 years old and in need of comprehensive structural and electronic upgrades.
“With this modernization, the aircraft will be able to serve another 15 years or 25,000 hours, supporting humanitarian operations at home and abroad, including disaster relief and international missions such as aid deliveries to Gaza,” he said.
Officials emphasized that the program strengthens Indonesia’s self-reliance in maintaining and modernizing its strategic airlift capability, which is vital for national defense, logistics support, and rapid disaster response across the archipelago.
The project also highlights the government’s push to reduce dependence on foreign maintenance facilities, aiming to accelerate overhaul cycles and enhance mission readiness for the Indonesian Air Force.
PTDI stated that the program represents a long-term investment in boosting technical expertise, expanding component manufacturing capacity, and reinforcing Indonesia’s aerospace defense ecosystem.
“For PTDI, this initiative is a strategic step to build technical competence, expand production capability, and strengthen the national aerospace industry,” said PTDI Director of Commerce, Technology and Development Moh Arif Faisal.
By conducting the upgrades domestically, officials hope to develop Indonesia’s industrial base while ensuring the Air Force’s heavy transport fleet remains operational for critical missions in the decades ahead.
Translator: Ricky P, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
