Air Force's Jupiter Blue: Professionalism in crisis

By Tiarma Siboro

JAKARTA (JP): The worsening relations between the Indonesian military (TNI) and some allied countries, which resulted in the suspension of military aid including spare parts for the Indonesian Air Force's jet fighters, has reduced the aerial capability of the force.

Yet the air force has managed to continue the flight exercises for its pilots, with increased efficiency to reduce its operational expenditure.

Amid the minimal available funds, the air force established last month a team of flight instructors, namely the Jupiter Blue Aerobatic Team, to perform acrobatic maneuvers in the air with eight jet fighters -- two F-16 Fighting Falcons, five Hawk MK-53s and a Hawk-100 -- to commemorate the force's 55th anniversary on Monday.

The Jupiter Blue has conducted three weeks of flight exercises, with 15 hours per week on average, at the Iswahjudi air base in Madiun, East Java. As the special training was conducted alongside their routine exercises, there has been no additional expenditure.

Air Force chief Marshall Hanafie Asnan said such an acrobatic show involving three different types of jet fighters will be a rare performance, not only for Indonesia but by any professional team in the world.

"We are etching a moment in history and I'm very proud that during this crisis, which has forced us to limit our flight exercises, we can still hold the acrobatic show.

"It's certainly difficult, to perform a combined acrobatic show, only professionals can do it," said Hanafie, who was an instructor for L-4J Pipercub, L-29 Dolphin and T-34 A Mentor training aircraft in the 1970s.

The Jupiter Blue consists of eight flight instructors who have secured between 2,260 and 3,200 flight hours.

The team is led by Maj. Fahru "Ferret" Zaini, known as Jupiter One. He is a commander of Air squadron 15 of the Iswahjudi Airbase in Madiun, East Java, and a 1986 graduate of the Air Force Academy. Fahru has secured 3,000 flight hours on Hawk MK-53 and A-4 Sky Hawk.

The right wing position is held by Capt. Budi "Boxer" Ramelan, with the code name Jupiter Two. He is a 1991 graduate of the Air Force's School of Aviation and has secured 2,600 flight hours on Hawk Mk-53 and F-5 Tiger.

Maj. Anang "Morgan" Nurhadi Susilo, who holds the left wing position, is known as Jupiter Three. He is a 1987 graduate of the Air Force Academy and has secured 3,000 fight hours on Hawk MK- 53, F-5 Tiger and F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The outer right wing and outer left wing positions are respectively held by Capt. Andis "Lavy" Solikhin or Jupiter Four and Donny "Osprey" Ermawan or Jupiter Five. Andis is a 1989 graduate of the Force's School of Aviation and has secured the longest flight hours among the other pilots, 3,200 hours on Hawk MK-53 and F-5 Tiger. Donny, who is a 1988 graduate of the Air Force academy, has secured 2,800 flight hours on Hawk MK-53 and F-5 Tiger.

Holding the slot position is Capt. Muhammad "Cougar" Dadang or the Jupiter Six. He is a 1989 graduate of the Force's School of Aviation and has secured 2,800 flight hours on Hawk MK-53, Hawk- 100/200 and F-5 Tiger.

Major Fachry "Oryx" Adamy or Jupiter Seven will hold the lead solo position on his F-16 Fighting Falcon. The 1988 air force academy graduate has secured a total flight hours of 2,350 with some 970 hours on F-16. Meanwhile, the opposing solo position will be held by Capt. Jusuf "Jaguar" Hanafi or Jupiter Eight. He is a 1991 graduate of the Force's School of Aviation and has secured 1,150 flight hours on F-16 from his total flight hours of 2,260.

The team members have met very high requirements, including perfect physical stamina, high self-discipline and excellent leadership.

There will 20 maneuvers in the 16-minute display. They are Figure 8, Diamond Split, Delta Loop, Delta In View, Inverted, Inverted to Inverted, Pheasant Roll, Four Point Roll, Pyramid In View, Knife Edge, Hi "G" Turn, Roll Back, Hi AOA & Snake Pass, Pyramid Loop, Cross Over Break, Screw Roll, Aileron Roll, Low & Hi Speed Pass, Vertical Roll and Boom Burst (Vixen).

The maneuvers, however, have been modified by the team from the international standardized aerobatics team: the United States' Thunder Bird and the British Red Arrows. None of the foreign trainers have been involved.

"As the instructors, not only the aviators, they are required to be self-educated.

"As pilots of the Indonesian jet fighters, they have added value in comparison with commercial pilots due to their ability to make perfect analysis, a requirement needed to gain victory on every aerial fight," assistant for personnel to the Air Force chief Rear Marshall Suprihadi told The Jakarta Post in a recent interview.

Although he is proud of the force's human resources, Suprihadi voiced concern over its quality of training, which completely depends on the condition of the jet fighters and the government's finances.

"The prolonged economic and political crisis has forced us to limit our pilots' flight hours, while they must secure certain flight hours per week to avoid potential accidents.

"If this continues, I'm afraid that we cannot maintain the pilots' capability," he said.