Indonesian Air Force explains fighter jets flying over Jakarta

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) has explained that the activity of fighter jets passing over the skies of Jakarta was a training exercise conducted by fighter pilots for the Merdeka Run event in commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the Republic of Indonesia.

In a press statement to ANTARA in Jakarta on Friday, Head of the Air Force Information Service (Kadispenau) Air Commodore I Nyoman Suadnyana explained that the training procession had been carried out since the early hours of Friday, coinciding with ongoing demonstrations in Jakarta.

“On Friday, three F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft took off from Iswahjudi Air Base heading towards the Jakarta area with a target around the National Monument (Monas). After carrying out the flight according to the planned route, the three aircraft then landed at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base,” said Nyoman.

On Saturday (29/8), he continued, the three fighter jets again flew over the skies of Jakarta to perform a flypast during the opening of the Merdeka Run event before returning to Iswahjudi Air Base in Magetan, East Java.

For information, the Merdeka Run, a running competition, was held on Saturday (29/8) morning from 04.00 WIB with an 8-kilometre route starting from the State Palace in Jakarta.

“In addition to the F-16 Fighting Falcons, the flight series also involved a CN-295 aircraft carrying parachutists and an EC-725 Caracal helicopter carrying a giant flag. The entire series will be combined with the implementation of the Merdeka Run as part of the commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia,” Nyoman revealed.

He therefore denied that the deployment of the fighter jets was carried out for any other purposes unrelated to the Merdeka Run event.