TNI, RAAF hold Rajawali Ausindo military exercise in Kupang

Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (AntaraNews NTT) - Indonesian Air Force (TNI) troops, along the Royal Australian Air Force personnel or "Royal Australian Air Force" (RAAF), is organizing the 2018 Rajawali Australia-Indonesia military exercise in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara.

Director of the 2018 Rajawali Ausindo training, Colonel Pnb Reza R Sastranegara, told reporters in Kupang that the exercises, which started on Monday, would take place until Sept 27, 2018.

"This is not a combat training usually carried out, but this is a focus on the training of transport aircraft," he noted. He explained that the aircraft used in the exercise were Hercules aircraft, both from Indonesia and from the RAAF.

There are several things that will be done for about one month, starting from sharing of experiences followed by practice. The aircraft used will be operated for simulations, such as logistic drop, on land, and at sea.

"The landing site is in the Naibonat area behind the Kupang Sotis Hotel," he said. Sastranegara, who also serves as the Head of the Abdulrahman Saleh Lanud Operations Office, Malamg, East Java, also remarked that 25 personnel from the Indonesian Air Force brought from Malang, plus four trainers, were involved in the exercise.

"There will be 25 personnel from Squadron 32 Malang, East Java," he stated. Meanwhile, the Air Defense Attach? of the Australian Embassy to Indonesia, Captain Steve Cook, noted that 15 personnel from the RAAF 37 Squadron will also be involved in the joint exercise.

"Some of the equipment that we carry is also in the form of diving equipment, because during the training, there will be a number of weapons that will be used for the joint training," he moted.

Joint training conducted between the two countries is a routine exercise, where the training location is carried out alternately. In 2017, the Ausindo training was held in Australia, precisely in Darwin City, with Ausindo Eagle 2017 as the theme of the training.