TNI Chief Appoints Major General Lucky Avianto as Pangkogabwilhan III Commander, Focusing on Papua Stability
TNI Chief General Agus Subiyanto has officially appointed Major General Lucky Avianto as the Commander of the Joint Regional Defence Command (Pangkogabwilhan) III during a handover ceremony at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, Jakarta, on Thursday (26/3/2026). With this new position, Lucky’s rank has been elevated one level to Lieutenant General (Letjen) TNI.
Lieutenant General Lucky Avianto replaces Lieutenant General TNI Bambang Trisnohadi. The appointment of this top graduate from the Military Academy class of 1996 is seen as a strategic step by TNI Headquarters to strengthen defence and security in eastern Indonesia.
“This appointment is highly strategic considering that the operational area of Kogabwilhan III covers vital regions for Indonesia’s eastern defence,” states the official TNI Headquarters release on Thursday (26/3/2026).
Lieutenant General Lucky Avianto is no stranger to the Papua region. Before his promotion, this Kopassus officer, nicknamed the ‘Ghost General of the Jungle’, served as the Commander of the XVII/Cenderawasih Regional Military Command and once led the Habema Operational Command.
Lucky is known as a combat general who frequently goes directly into the field during operations in Papua’s challenging terrain. While firm against the TPNPB-OPM separatist group, Lucky emphasises a humanitarian approach towards civilians.
“The safety of the people is the highest law. This principle always forms the basis of every operation we conduct. The TNI is present not only to maintain security but also to be part of the solution for a more prosperous future in Papua,” Lucky stressed after the appointment ceremony.
In addition to his operational career in Aceh, Maluku, and international missions in Congo and Lebanon, Lucky has recorded rare academic achievements within the TNI. He is an alumnus of the first batch of Taruna Nusantara High School (TN-1) in 1993, who earned the title of best graduate in nearly all levels of military education.
Notably, Lucky is the recipient of the Adhi Makayasa from Akmil 1996, the best graduate of Seskoad 2011, the best graduate of Sesko TNI 2019, and the top academic participant in PPSA XXIV Lemhannas 2023.
With his new role as Pangkogabwilhan III, Lieutenant General Lucky now holds command coordination of TNI’s land, sea, and air assets in the Maluku and Papua regions to ensure the sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia remains intact at the eastern gateway.