Momentum builds up in Natuna war games

ABOARD KRI ARUN (JP): An enemy fighter was shot down by a missile launched from KRI Slamet Riyadi, but not before it fired a rocket at another Indonesian warship, injuring four soldiers.

That was the news bulletin issued to reporters yesterday by the command headquarters of the joint operation, stationed on board this ship, in the current mock war to recapture the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea.

Momentum is building up towards tomorrow's D-day, the massive raid by air, sea and land by Indonesian forces sent out to wrest the islands back from enemy hands.

More than 19,000 soldiers from the Army, Navy and Air Force are taking part in the joint exercise that will reach its climax tomorrow. Forty warships will be taking part as well as 50 planes, including a number of F-16 fighter planes.

Yesterday, an aging Soviet-built Mig-23 fighter belonging to the enemy was sent out to scare away the armada of 40 warships that is currently sailing for the Natunas.

A sea-to-air harpoon missile fired from KRI Slamet Riyadi did a clean job of bringing the plane down.

Subsequent to this skirmish, a unit of Army paramedics were sent out from KRI Arun on a N-Bell helicopter to treat the four soldiers injured on the KRI Teluk Endeh.

There had also been skirmishes on the Natuna Islands since Wednesday, with Indonesian planes pounding the Ranai airstrip which is under enemy control.

KRI Slamet Riyadi is also heading the campaign to land a battalion of the Marines Corps and a battalion of amphibious forces of the Air Force's special force (Paskas) on the islands.

An advance team of 42 troops selected from the Navy's Marine Corps, the Army's special force (Kopassus) and the Air Force's Paskas, had already been parachuted onto the islands.

The team has been sending intelligence back to the command headquarters to help with the planned massive landing.

Another unit of 28 Kopassus soldiers also landed on the island to infiltrate enemy lines.

Brig. Gen. Ismed Yuzairi, the commander of the joint exercise, who is monitoring the situation from KRI Arun, said that in the two days before D-day, everything had gone according to plan.

"The aggressors are weakening," Ismed told The Jakarta Post. "We've shot down some of their planes."

The exercise, which began on Sept. 4, is slated to end on Sept. 18. (rms)