New NTT Military Command to Operate Soon, 39-Hectare Site in Naioni Ready

Plans to establish a new Regional Military Command (Kodam) in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) are progressing. The command headquarters will be built on a 39-hectare plot of land in Naioni Village, Alak District, Kupang City. Chief of Staff of Korem 161/Wira Sakti, Colonel Inf Albertus Yostina David Alam, said the process of forming the new Kodam is ongoing. In addition to the prepared land, the organisational structure is also being drawn up. “The plan to build a new Kodam in NTT has begun. So it is likely that this year our target is to inaugurate the new Kodam here,” said Colonel Albertus on Wednesday (24/6/2026). According to him, the new Kodam is expected to commence operations between August and September 2026, although supporting infrastructure will still be built in stages. “While waiting for the Kodam infrastructure, it will stand on its own,” Albertus said. With the formation of the new Kodam, the NTT region will be separated from Kodam IX/Udayana, which is based in Bali. The NTT Regional Commander (Pangdam) will be stationed in Kupang City. “So we will be separated from Kodam IX/Udayana in Bali. Later the Pangdam will be based in Kupang,” he stated. Albertus explained that the location for the Kodam headquarters has been designated in Naioni and the 39-hectare site is ready for use. “The location is in Naioni, it is already available and ready, approximately 39 hectares,” he confirmed. Regarding the name, he said it has been proposed to use a local hero’s name, namely Kodam Sobe Sonbay. Meanwhile, the Kodam’s registration number is still awaiting confirmation when official operations begin. “The plan is for the name Kodam Sobe Sonbay, taken from a hero here, but for the registration number, which Kodam number it will be, that is not yet decided; the full name will come later at the time of the Kodam’s operational establishment,” he clarified. The presence of the new Kodam in NTT is expected to enable the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to focus more on assisting the NTT Provincial Government in addressing various community issues. “It is hoped that with the Kodam here, it can be more focused, helping the NTT Provincial Government to overcome the difficulties of the people in NTT,” said Albertus. Furthermore, the TNI is also expected to maximise support for the local government in implementing central government programmes to improve the welfare of the NTT community. From a defence and security perspective, the existence of the new Kodam is also considered to enable more focused security of Indonesia’s border area with Timor-Leste. “In terms of security, we can also focus more on safeguarding the border area adjacent to Timor-Leste,” he concluded.