Prabowo's Message on TNI AU's 80th Anniversary: Maintain Sovereignty in the Air

President Prabowo Subianto has called on the Indonesian National Armed Forces Air Force to always safeguard the homeland. Prabowo delivered this message on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the TNI AU, which falls on Thursday, 9 April 2026.

Through a video shared on his official YouTube account, the Head of State extended birthday greetings to Indonesia’s military air branch. In the short video, Prabowo appears to be in the cockpit of the Indonesian presidential aircraft Indonesia One.

“Dirgahayu Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara. Swa Bhuwana Paksa,” stated Prabowo on Thursday, 9 April 2026, as quoted from the video on the Prabowo Subianto YouTube account.

Prabowo hopes that the TNI AU will continue to excel and remain strong in defending the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia in the air. “The Indonesian people are proud of you. Protect, protect our homeland,” said Prabowo.

According to Antara, the 80th TNI AU anniversary commemoration carries the theme “Unbounded Service, Potent TNI AU, Advancing Indonesia.”

Air Force Chief of Staff (KSAU) Air Marshal Mohammad Tonny Harjono, on this occasion, urged his personnel to enhance the quality of main weapon system equipment (alutsista) and human resources to strengthen national defence.

Tonny, in his address at the 80th TNI AU anniversary ceremony in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Thursday, stated that the TNI AU is currently introducing many new alutsista. Ranging from fighter aircraft and transport planes to the deployment of new early-warning radars in radar units.

All these new alutsista are ensured to have advanced and renewable technology, making them suitable as primary air defence tools. Nevertheless, according to Tonny, alutsista will not function optimally without the support of quality human resources.