Pete Hegseth Proposes Centralising USAF C-130 Hercules MRO Across Asia in Indonesia

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has offered an intriguing proposition to the Indonesian government regarding maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the United States Air Force’s (USAF) C-130 Hercules transport aircraft across Asia. The proposal would centralise all C-130 MRO work in Asia in Indonesia, at the United States’ expense. Hegseth aired the idea to Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie during a meeting at the Pentagon in April 2026, a fact the minister later relayed to Commission I of the DPR during a hearing at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 19 May 2026. ‘He (the US Secretary of War) offered, and this does not exist in ASEAN countries, he offered, ’what if we centralise C-130 maintenance across Asia in Indonesia, at our cost’,’ the Indonesian defence minister said, sharing the discussion with his DPR interlocutors. While the offer was attractive, Sjafrie did not immediately accept it, opting instead to report the intention to President Prabowo Subianto first. He even identified a potential site for the Asia-based USAF Hercules MRO: Bandara Kertajati in Sumedang, West Java. ‘I have reported to the President, give (Kertajati) the airport. We are working on that,’ he said. In addition, Sjafrie outlined the rationale behind signing the Major Defence Cooperation Partnership (MDCP) with the United States. One aim is broader cooperation, including the Super Garuda Shield exercise. ‘What is in it? Modernisation of the military and no longer about equipment. I think you hear, it is not solely about equipment anymore,’ he added.