Menduniakan si Baret Merah

By : Ahmad Cholis Hamzah

Ketika bencana tsunami terjadi di Aceh, dunia terkejut karena besarnya bencana itu menyebabkan ratusan ribu orang Aceh meninggal dunia, dan bencana itu pula menerjang wilayah yang lebih luas dari Aceh, Thailand, Srilangka sampai Madagaskar di Afrika. Dunia juga kemudian bersimpati dan “bangga” dengan gambar-gambar tentara negara-negara sahabat yang ikut terlibat dalam operasi kemanusiaan di Aceh itu menggendong bayi atau anak kecil atau orang tua. Media dunia terutama dari negara-negara barat seakan-akan “bersatu” memuat gambar yang menyentuh kalbu itu. Sayangnya media Indonesia tidak ada yang bersatu atau “ngeh” untuk memuat gambar pasukan TNI kita yang juga melakukan operasi kemanusiaan yang sama.

Kejadian seperti itu berulang lagi pada saat musibah jatuhnya pesawat Rusia Shukoi Superjet 100 di Gunung Salak Bogor. Serpihan pesawat dan potongan tubuh korban berada di lereng gunung yang kemiringannya hampir 90 derajat dan berada di dasar jurang yang dalam. Tapi sangat mengagumkan pasukan TNI baik dari Kopassus, Marinir, Paskhas, dan Brimob dari kepolisian, tim SAR dari Basarnas serta para mahasiswa pencinta alam dan penduduk lokal berhasil mencapai daerah yang sulit di jangkau itu. Tim Rusia pun yang akhirnya ikut rombongan SAR ternyata mengakui sulitnya medan Gunung Salak dan malahan ada yang minta turun lagi ke daerah yang lebih datar.

Yang mengagumkan dan membanggakan lagi adalah tim kecil dari Kopassus yang ditugaskan untuk mencari black box di dasar jurang, dan akhirnya menembukan ELT atau Emergency Locator Transmitter. Ada informasi yang menyebutkan bahwa Tim ini diterjunkan dengan menggunakan tali, dan ketika mereka sampai di tengah-tengah jurang, ternyata talinya tidak mencukupi panjangnya, lalu mereka lapor pada komandannya, dan komandan mengatakan akan mengirim tali tambahan tapi satu hari lagi datangnya. Bisa di bayangkan pasukan elit itu menunggu tambahan tali sambil bergelantungan di medan yang gelap dan membahayakan itu.

Kopassus memang tangguh dalam tugas-tugas seperti itu, mereka memang dilatih dengan keras dan ada pendapat yang mengatakan bahwa satu orang prajurit Kopassus itu sama dengan 5 prajurit regular. Dan yang membanggakan lagi adalah Kopassus ini disejajarkan dengan pasukan elit Inggris SAS dan pasukan inteligen Israel Mosad. Bahkan pasukan elite AS tidak termasuk pada masuk pada jajran ini karena dianggap terlalu mengandalkan teknologi. Sementara Kopassus itu memang dilatih secara individu dan tim kecil yang tangguh.

Kopassus Angkatan Darat dengan baret merah darahnya dibentuk pada bulan April 1952 dengan nama yang berganti ganti, dari RPKAD –Resimen Para Komando Angkatan Darat, lalu Kopasandha – Komando Pasukan Sandi Yudha dan sekarang Kopassus atau Komando Pasukan Khusus. Tugas negara banyak yang berhasil di embannya.

Memang pada jaman Suharto, nama Kopassus mencadi tercoreng karena kasus-kasus hak azasi manusia; namun sekarang sejalan dengan reformasi di tubuh Angkatan Darat, Kopassus mulai bangkit lagi dan negara-negara di dunia termasuk negara-negara tetangga termasuk Australia masih mengakui bahwa Kopassus adalah pasukan elit Angkatan Darat yang tangguh.

Terlepas dengan pro kontra soal keterlibatan Kopassus di berbagai kasus HAM, namun ketangguhan, ke profesionalitasannya, dalam operasi kemanusiaan bencana jatuhnya pesawat Shukoi superjet 100 harus diliput media nasional dengan proporsional, agar masyarakat Indonesia makin mencintai Tentaranya sendiri. Apresiasi yang tingggi dari seluruh anak negeri ini harus ditujukan kepada prajurit –prajurit penjaga ibu pertiwi ini. Siapa lagi kalau bukan kita.

Alumni University of London, Universitas Airlangga Surabaya, dan dosen STIE PERBANAS Surabaya.

Airbus A400 for Indonesia. Anyone?

Airbus Military is confident about the A400M’s prospects in Indonesia and says it is open to collaborating with Dirgantara Indonesia on work share if Jakarta buys the airlifter.

“If they buy the aircraft, we’ll discuss with local industry how they can participate,” says Ignacio Alonso, Airbus Military’s senior vice-president for commercial, strategy, and industrial relations in Asia. “It’s too soon to say how they could collaborate, but we are open to discussing collaboration.”

“The A400M fits their current and future needs very well, both for military and humanitarian relief,” he adds.

He was speaking after the conclusion of the A400M’s Asian debut tour in April. The trip saw aircraft MSN4 visit Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. Malaysia is the first non-European nation to order the aircraft, with an order for four. During the Thailand visit, the Thai defence minister flew on the aircraft from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

Alonso also provided more details about Indonesia’s nine aircraft C-295 purchase that was announced at the Singapore air show in February. The aircraft will be operated by the Indonesian air force and will be designated CN-295 in Indonesian service. The Indonesian government is still arranging for the financing of the aircraft and Alonso expects the first two to be delivered this year.

When it announced the CN-295 deal in February, Airbus Military said Dirgantara Indonesia will manufacture the tail empennage as well as the rear fuselage and fuselage panels. The final assembly line for the last two aircraft will be located in Indonesia and Dirgantara Indonesia will also establish a service centre.

www.flightglobal.com

Amphibious Strength

Russia will soon sign a contract with Indonesia to deliver 37 infantry fighting vehicles worth more than $100 million, Russian state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Tuesday.

Rosoboronexport deputy chief Viktor Komardin said the deal for BMP-3F vehicles was expected later this month.

To date, Russia has delivered 17 BMP-3Fs to Indonesia.

Indonesian Wings, Eight Skies

State aircraft-maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) received orders of 37 units of CN 235 aircraft from eight countries, company’s executive confirmed Tuesday.

Company’s spokesman Rakhendi Triatna said that he could not reveal the details of the purchase yet, including the country buyers.

However, he explained that the company had completed the last four of 12 aircraft units proposed by South Korea worth of US$94.5 million.

The company also claimed to sign US$80 million contract of five CN 235 units with the Indonesian Navy.

(The Jakarta Post)

Sikorsky above us

Sikorsky Aircraft has received an order from Indonesian Aerospace subsidiary IPTN North America for a pair of S-300Cs. The training helicopters will enter service with the Indonesian Army in late 2012 to meet a requirement to train more than 100 new pilots in coming years.

Indonesia plans to double its military helicopter fleet, increasing the need for training, Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro announced in March.

(Source : Rotor & Wing)

They did it in 81 seconds!

It was one of Indonesia’s Elite Force (Kopassus). The hostages liberation by Kopassus was broadcasted LIVE in some countries, around 200 international journalist, reporter were covering the rare event at Bangkok Don Muang Int’l Airport. AND THEY DID IT IN ONLY 81 SECOND. It was WORLD’S MOST SUCCESSFUL ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATION IN THE WORLD, and followed by GSG (Germany) in Ethiopia, and Israel Special Force in Tanzania (if I am not mistaken). The 30 strong commando team member was led by Sintong Pandjaitan.

On 28th March 1981, Garuda Indonesian Airlines Flight GA 206, by DC-9 “Woyla” was en route from Palembang to Medan, a domestic flight between two Indonesian cities. The plane had flown from Jakarta at 08:00, was in transit to Palembang, and from there was scheduled to make the trip to its final destination at Medan, arrival time estimated 10:55.

Once in the air, however, two passengers got up from their seats. One went to the cockpit while the other stood in the aisle. Moments later, by 10:10, Woyla was completely under the control of five hijackers, all armed. The hijacker in the cockpit ordered the pilot to fly the plane to Colombo, Sri Lanka, but the pilot said that the fuel wouldn’t be sufficient to travel that distance. Then the plane was then flown to Penang, Malaysia.

The terrorists are from Jihad Commando group, radicals responsible for raids on police stations, military bases, and various acts of sabotage in Indonesia from 1977-1981. In the midday, Indonesian government went on red alert. Indonesia had never dealt with serious hijacking before. The first case ever was in 1974, when a desperate Marine hijacked a domestic flight for money, then he was killed by the pilot himself. In an effort to familiarize themselves with the layout of the aircraft, later that evening the newly created Indonesian’s Special Force, Kophasanda (now Kopassus), borrowed another DC-9 from Garuda Airlines and used it for combat training.

Woyla has left Malaysia after refueling, bound to Don Muang, Thailand. An old female passenger was allowed to go in Malaysia. The terrorists have declared their demand: The release of Jihad Commandos that have been imprisoned by Indonesian government, and US $ 1.5 million. They also demand a plane is prepared for the released prisoners, to an yet unspecified destination. They have bomb set on the plane. Things get harder for the Kophasanda commander. He suspects that the plane will be flown to a state in Middle East. But as the plane has been relocated from Malaysia, the step was going further for him.

Also, US Ambassador has called him and told him that US really counts on him to the safety of American citizens abroad the flight. In 21:00, 29th March, 35 members of Kophasanda left Indonesia in a DC-10, all wearing civilian clothes. Thailand government itself didn’t agree much on Indonesian choice to use military force. They preferred negotiation, the same way that ended the taking of Israeli embassy in Bangkok by Black September terrorists back in 1972. Finally, they let the military way, considering that the owner of the aircraft is Indonesian government, and all the terrorists are Indonesian nationals, from an extremist group. The CIA chief of station in Thailand met later with Kophasanda to lend them flak jackets and breaching kits for the assault.

An American journalist on the top of a bus surrounding Don Muang, woke his comrades, international journalists from Indonesia, US, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, West Germany, France, and Australia. 500 meters from Woyla, armed soldiers walked silently in the bushes. The plan was, blue team and red team would climb the wings then wait at the side doors. The windows of the plane have been blinded. While green team will breach the rear door, all will enter at the same time at the go-code.

02:43 Thailand commando team also moves in, waiting on the runway to prevent the possibility of escaping terrorists.
02:43 The go-code is given. The three teams enter, but not at the same time. Green team entered first, only to find that a terrorist was alert in the rear side of the plane. The terrorist fired, striking one assault team member in an area of his stomach unprotected by his flak jacket. Blue team and red team then entered, shot 3 terrorists on sight, as the passengers ducked and closed their eyes. The commando team shouted to the passengers, telling them to rush out. A hijacker, with grenade in hand, also ran outside and tried to throw it. But other passengers pinpointed him and the commando team finished him before the front door. The last terrorist was killed outside the plane.
02:45 With the area secure, paramedics immediately rushed to the plane to try and save the pilot who had accidentally been shot by a terrorist during the raid.

All terrorists aboard were killed. The Asian Wall Street Journal, as well as Asian and European papers praised the good work by Indonesian Special Force – Kopasandha (now Kopassus). Indonesian intelligence itself later declared that the main goal of the terrorists’ organization was to throw the government and to create an different kind of state in Indonesia.

UN Secretary General and Indonesia’s Peacekeeping Centre

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is set to visit Indonesia next month for an international defense meet and to visit the new peacekeeping center in West Java.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro told reporters at the president’s office on Friday that Ban was scheduled to open and deliver the keynote speech at the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue on March 20.

The UN secretary general will also visit the Indonesian Peacekeeping Center in Sentul, West Java, which was inaugurated on Dec. 19.

The center, which that will house a regional counter-terrorism and disaster relief training center, the Indonesia Defense University, as well as a standby force that can respond rapidly to natural disasters and UN peacekeeping missions, will be ready by 2014.

Ban and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono were also scheduled to attend a reunion of UN peacekeeping forces that served in Bosnia. Yudhoyono served as a peacekeeping officer in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1995 to 1996.

taken from The Jakarta Globe

TNI wins international shooting competition

[The Jakarta Post]: A team from the Indonesian Military (TNI) has become the overall victor at the Brunei International Skill-At-Arms Meet for the third time.

Previously, Indonesia snatched the top rank in 2005 and 2008.

The TNI beat contingents from the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and Malaysia at the event, which was held from Jan. 12 to 29 in Brunei.

The team finished in first place with 82 gold, 30 silver and eight bronze medals and nine honorary trophies from the individual and group categories, TNI team leader Col. Raharyono said on Tuesday as reported by kompas.com.

In the individual category, the TNI brought home nine gold, seven silver, and four bronze medals and 73 gold, 23 silver and four bronze medals in the group category.

TNI chief Adm. Agus Suhartono praised the contingent upon its return to Cilangkap, West Java, on Sunday, cautioning the officers and soldiers not to get carried away with their accomplishment.

Indonesian soldiers have dominated military shooting competitions both in the regional and international levels such as among ASEAN countries and contingents serving the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.(sat/mtq)

Floating monsters are on the way here

Russia is set to sell up to 60 infantry fighting vehicles to Indonesia in a deal worth more than $100 million, the Izvestia newspaper cited an unnamed military source as saying on Tuesday.

The deal will be finalized on February 10, the source said, adding that 20 BMP-3 vehicles will be delivered before the end of the year.

The Russian army stopped purchasing the vehicles in 2010. The state-run weapons exporter Rosoboronexport declined to comment. The Kurganmashzavod arms plant said it would produce modified vehicles for Indonesia.

(RIA Novosti)

Six more, please..

Indonesia has ordered six additional Sukhoi Su-30MK2 aircraft, with the first two to be delivered in 2012.

Jakarta will receive two more in 2013 and the final pair in 2014, said Indonesian air force chief of staff Imam Sufaat. His comments were quoted in a report by official government news agency Antara.

The report added that the Indonesian air force currently has six Su-27SKMs and four Su-30MK2s in its inventory. The aircraft are based at Sultan Hasanuddin air base in Indonesia’s South Sulawesi province.

Separately, in the coming months Indonesia could issue a letter of acceptance for 24 used US Air National Guard Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds. In late November, the US government outlined details of the proposed sale and upgrade of the Block 25-standard aircraft for Indonesia, valuing the Foreign Military Sale deal at $750 million.

If a letter of acceptance is issued in early 2012, it could clear the way for deliveries of the upgraded F-16s to commence in 2014.

Australia has also offered to donate four Lockheed C-130H Hercules transports to Jakarta, contingent on aircraft upgrading, but this deal has yet to be confirmed.