Indonesian Army Aviation Command

Indonesian Army Aviation Command
Pusat Penerbangan Angkatan Darat
"Puspenerbad"
logo of the Indonesian Army Aviation
Founded 14 November 1959
Country  Indonesia
Branch Indonesian Army
Type Army aviation
Role Combat support
Size Five squadrons
Part of Central Executive Agencies
Garrison/HQ Semarang, Central Java
Motto(s) Wira Amur
Website http://puspenerbad-tniad.mil.id/
Commanders
Commanding General Army Aviation Maj. Gen. Stephanus Tri Mulyono [1]
Deputy Commanding General Army Aviation Brig. Gen. Eko Susetyo
Insignia
Roundel insignia

The Indonesian Army Aviation Command (Bahasa Indonesia: Pusat Penerbangan Angkatan Darat) abbreviated Puspenerbad or simply Penerbad is the Army aviation unit of the Indonesian Army which has a means to support the combat mobility of the troops and also transport Infantrymen for Air assault operations. Penerbad is considered as an integral part mainly in cases of Air assault operations parallel to other Armament Corps of the Indonesian Army. Other additional tasks conducted by the unit can be implemented to support non-combat operations such as Search and rescue, Disaster relief, etc.

History

Indonesian Army - MBB (IPTN) NBO-105CB-4
Indonesian Army Aviation helicopters training in Natuna Island, Riau Island

The Indonesian army aviation was born in 1959 when the doctrine of Heliborne Troops or Air Mobile was being developed in various circles. In Sarawak, the British SAS launched an air assault operation with Westland Wessex Mk.1 helicopter containing 16 personnel. During the Vietnam War, the US Air Force operated in the form of Air Cavalry by the 1st Cavalry Division and Sky Soldier by the 173rd Airborne Brigade using UH-1N Huey, UH-1 Iroquois and CH-47 Chinook helicopters supported by AH-1S attack helicopter Cobra and CH-54 Flying Crane. In Algeria, the French Army conducted a similar operation with Alouette-III.

When the Chief of Staff of the Army made a Decree on the establishment of the Army Aviation Detachment (Detasemen Penerbad) on November 14, 1959 with the task of taking care of all activities concerning the field of organic army aviation, at that time Detasemen Penerbad did not have any aircraft at all. At that time the news was heard that Dr. AK. Gani DHC-2 Mk.1 Beaver's plane which was being overhauled in Singapore will be sold, then the army immediately bought it.

As a follow up, some officers including Captain Binjamin Hadi, Captain Burhan Ali and Captain Sukartono were sent to the United States to attend an aviator training at the US Army Aviation School in Fort Rucker, Alabama in 1959 followed by a second batch in 1962 consisting of Lieutenant Colonel Juono, Captain Dolf Latumahina, Captain Sudewo, Captain Daud Natawiyoga, 1st Lt T.M.F. Worang and several other officers.

Mission

The mission of Indonesian Army Aviation is to find, fix, and destroy the enemy through fire and maneuver; and to provide combat, combat support and combat service support in coordinated operations as an integral member of the combined arms team. On the modern battlefield, Indonesian Army Aviation, unlike the other members of the combined arms team, has the organic flexibility, versatility, and assets to fulfill a variety of maneuver, CS, CSS, roles and functions. These cover the spectrum of combined arms operations. Aviation can accomplish each of these roles—within the limits of finite assets and capabilities—during offensive or defensive operations and also for joint, combined, contingency, or special operations, as well as in civil-military operations such as disaster relief.

As a Central Executive Agency of the Army with greater importance, its Commander and Deputy Commander, filled up by officers of Major General and Brigadier General rank, respectively, are appointed and relieved from their positions by the Chief of Staff of the Army. Training is imparted to all enlistees and graduate officers assigned at the Army Aviation Corps Training school in Semarang, where they receive specialized training in helicopter warfare.

Squadrons

Puspenerbad currently has five squadrons and one training center, which are:

Airbases

  1. Army Airbase Ahmad Yani, at Semarang
  2. Army Airbase Pondok Cabe, at South Tangerang
  3. Army Airbase Gatot Subroto, at Way Kanan regency, Lampung

Equipment

Aircraft Origin Role Versions In service Note
Aircraft
CASA C-212 Aviocar  Spain Maritime Patrol & Tactical Transport NC-212-200 4 Manufactured under license by Indonesian Aerospace
Helicopters
MBB BO 105  Germany Utility/Assault gunship NBO-105 30
Mil Mi-17 Hip-H  Russia Utility Mi-35 Hind-F 16
Mil Mi-35 Hind  Russia Assault gunship Mi-35 Hind-F 8
Bell 412  Canada
 United States		 Utility/Assault gunship Bell 412

Bell 412SP

Bell 412EP[2]

 14

14

4

 Manufactured under license by Indonesian Aerospace
Airbus Helicopters Fennec  France
 Germany		 light attack helicopters 12 (6 single-engine dan 6 twin-engine, untuk diserahkan 2016)[3]
Boeing AH-64 Apache  United States attack helicopters AH-64E 8 (delivery finished February 2018)[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Mayjen Besar Harto Jadi Pangdam Siliwangi Gantikan Doni Monardo". detik.com. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  2. ↑ "PT. DI, Serahkan 4 Helikopter BELL-412ep" Website defense-studies.blogspot.com
  3. ↑ "Indonesian Army receives the first helicopter Fennec", www.strategic-bureau.com, 10 November 2014
  4. ↑ Ellis Taylor, "Boeing awarded Indonesian Apache contract", www.flightglobal.com, 27 Januari 2015
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