Indonesia prepares to upgrade C-130s

Indonesia acquired five Lockheed Martin C-130J-30s (pictured) in 2023–24 to revitalise its tactical airlift fleet, which is dominated by older C-130 aircraft that have been in service for decades. (Lockheed Martin)

PT Dirgantara Indonesia (Indonesian-aircraft Industries: PTDI) has announced that it will modernise nine Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft in co-operation with the air force.

According to PTDI, it signed a co-operation agreement on 2 October with the TNI-AU's Material Maintenance Command to upgrade the aircraft. The company said the upgrade will use resources from its Center Wing Box Replacement (CWBR) and Avionic Upgrade Program (AUP) projects to modernise the aircraft. PTDI did not specify the financial value of the project.

Work on the aircraft will be conducted at the PTDI Aircraft Services (ACS) hangar in co-operation with the TNI-AU's Maintenance Depot (Depohar) 10 at the Husein Sastranegara Airport at Bandung in West Java, PTDI said in a press statement.

Depohar 10 will begin inducting C-130s selected for the programme in October 2024, the company said, adding that the aircraft will be subsequently moved to the ACS hangar in November.

“Replacement of the centre wing boxes will take approximately five months while the upgrade of the avionics is estimated to take six months,” PTDI said.

The company added that it will manufacture composite components to repair the C-130s.

TNI-AU Air Marshal Oki Yanuar said the collaboration between PTDI and Depohar 10 will help to reduce Indonesia's reliance on international companies for sustainment of air force aircraft.

According to AM Oki, 60% of the maintenance on TNI-AU aircraft (from combat aircraft to training platform) is conducted overseas.