Bandung, November 27, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesia’s Defence Ministry has announced a comprehensive modernisation program for nine C-130 Hercules aircraft, a key component of the nation’s strategic airlift fleet, with upgrades expected to extend each aircraft’s service life by an additional 15 years.
The program, undertaken by state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), will involve a centre wing box replacement (CWBR) and a complete avionics upgrade programme (AUP). Speaking on Wednesday at PTDI’s Bandung facility, Colonel Arif Djoko, head of the C-130 Modernisation Task Force, said the work on each unit would take approximately six to seven months.
“After these upgrades, each aircraft is projected to gain an additional 15 years of service, or roughly 25,000 flight hours,” Arif stated, noting that the CWBR component alone is crucial, as existing parts have reached their 45,000-flight-hour structural limit.
The US$150 million contract — around 2.1 trillion rupiah — covers all nine aircraft, which are H-model units procured between 1980 and 1982. Now more than four decades old, they require comprehensive structural refurbishment and the replacement of analog avionics with modern digital systems.
Arif emphasised that the modernised Hercules aircraft would enhance Indonesia’s ability to support both domestic and international humanitarian operations. “These aircraft will continue to assist disaster relief efforts and international missions, including the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza,” he said.
Officials also highlighted the broader strategic benefits of the program, including strengthening Indonesia’s self-reliance in maintaining and modernising its airlift capability — a critical asset for national defence, military logistics, and rapid disaster response across the archipelago’s vast terrain.
By conducting the upgrades domestically, Indonesia aims to reduce its dependence on overseas maintenance facilities, shorten overhaul cycles, and increase mission readiness for the Indonesian Air Force.
PTDI stated that the programme reflects long-term investment in advancing Indonesia’s aerospace defense ecosystem. The initiative is expected to deepen technical expertise, expand component manufacturing capacity, and reinforce the national industrial base.
“For PTDI, this initiative is a strategic step to build technical competence, expand production capability, and strengthen the national aerospace industry,” said PTDI Director of Commerce, Technology and Development Moh Arif Faisal.
The project is expected to ensure that the Air Force’s heavy transport fleet remains dependable and operational for decades to come, supporting Indonesia’s growing defence and humanitarian commitments at home and abroad.
