Indonesia is expected to have an Air Force that is on par with China and the United States in dominating Southeast Asia by 2045, University of Indonesia defense expert from Andi Widjajanto said Tuesday.
Speaking at the International Air Power Seminar 2012, Andi said that the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) capacity for air force dominance in 2012 was slightly below that of Malaysia, with the strongest being the US, quoting Jane’s Southeast Asia Air Force Inventory 2012.
If Indonesia goes to war with the US, the TNI-AU would be put in a state of paralysis against the superpower, being air subordinate relative to the super power.
Air subordination refers to the weakness of a country's air force relative to other countries. As of 2012, Indonesia is considered subordinate to countries like China, but is considered air superior to countries such as East Timor.
If Indonesia fights against Malaysia, the two countries would be on equal grounds in terms of air force dominance capabilities, or what in military terminology is referred to as air parity.
“We already have strategic plans [for the air force] for at least until 2024. The government has already planned that and we will reach the country’s minimum essential force requirement by that year,” Andi said. “By that year, we will reach air parity with Singapore and Malaysia.”
“We will have air dominance throughout Southeast Asia by 2045.”
Andi said Indonesia would have air parity with countries such as China, the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA) and the US.
“But we still don’t know how we will be in the position of air dominance with those countries,” he said.
China, for example, has bombers which can reach Australia, he said. (png)
