US Military Aircraft Access in Indonesia: Who Controls Indonesian Skies?

US military aircraft are freely passing through Indonesia, even if only at the proposal stage, which demonstrates the country’s lack of authority in the face of the United States. Furthermore, where is the sovereignty of the Indonesian nation in the eyes of the world? Although it is merely a proposal from the US, in my view, this should not be left unchecked. Access to sovereign territory, especially by the military power of a superpower, is not merely a technical matter of airspace transit but concerns the fundamental principle of who holds sovereignty over the nation’s living space. Indonesia finds itself in a dilemma. On one hand, the US is a strategic partner with undeniable global influence. Amid this tug-of-war of interests, the nation is demanded not only to be rational but also authoritative. In legal and political discourse, state sovereignty does not stop at land and sea but also encompasses the airspace above it. However, an interesting debate arises because Indonesia’s constitution does not explicitly mention the word “air” in the article stating that land, water, and natural resources are controlled by the state. This terminological gap is often interpreted narrowly, as if airspace becomes a grey area that can be negotiated loosely. In fact, in international legal practice, air sovereignty is an inseparable principle from territorial sovereignty. A state has the exclusive right to regulate who may pass through, under what conditions, and for what purpose. Therefore, any form of access for foreign military aircraft should be viewed as a sensitive issue, not merely administrative. When the discourse emerges that US military aircraft can pass freely, even if only a proposal, the public has the right to question whether the state still holds full control over its own skies. Or is there a compromise that is slowly shifting Indonesia’s position from owner of the territory to mere manager? Further, public perception of this issue cannot be underestimated. Sovereignty is not only a matter of law but also psychological and symbolic.