Prabowo Plans to Deploy Flying Ambulances, BRIN Responds
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The plan to provide flying ambulances initiated by President Prabowo Subianto has begun to receive support from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The research institution is now finalising the ecosystem for the N219 aircraft and its amphibious variant, the N219A.
The aircraft is projected to assist with medical evacuation, particularly for communities in archipelagic regions and areas that are difficult to reach by land.
The development of the N219 is part of efforts to prepare national aerospace technology for future healthcare services and medical logistics needs.
“Responding to the vision of flying ambulances and future medical logistics, BRIN relies on the excellence of national aerospace technology. We are finalising the ecosystem of the N219 aircraft and its amphibious variant (N219A),” said BRIN Head Arif Satria.
One of the N219’s capabilities considered suitable for this mission is its Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) technology, which allows the aircraft to operate from relatively short runways. Meanwhile, the N219A is being developed as an amphibious variant capable of landing and taking off on water.
BRIN stated that the N219 is being developed together with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI). With these characteristics, the aircraft has strong potential to support medical evacuation in areas with limited access.
In addition to the N219, BRIN is also developing the Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (PUNA) as part of the national unmanned systems programme. The PUNA MALE is designed to fly for up to 24 hours non-stop with a Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) control range of approximately 2,000 kilometres.
This technology opens up opportunities for utilising unmanned systems for various strategic needs, from area monitoring to emergency logistics support in the future.
“This high-endurance unmanned platform provides an independent and reliable system for various critical missions, from tactical monitoring to future emergency logistics projection,” said Arif.
The air ambulance concept was previously announced by President Prabowo Subianto when delivering the Government’s Introductory Statement on the 2027 State Budget Bill and Financial Note on 14 August 2026.
Prabowo stated that the government will prepare air ambulances in the form of helicopters and small aircraft to accelerate the evacuation of people requiring healthcare services, particularly in remote areas.
According to him, many citizens still have to travel up to 7-9 hours just to access healthcare services, including pregnant women who require emergency delivery assistance.
“For that reason, we will also create air ambulances with helicopters and small aircraft that can land on grass fields, sand fields, and can land on riverbanks, so that none of our people cannot be evacuated if they are ill,” said Prabowo.