| | DARWIN – Anggota TNI-AU dan Angkatan Udara Australia (RAAF) kembali melaksanakan Latihan Bersama Elang Ausindo 2017. Tahun ini latma tersebut diselenggarakan di Lanud RAAF Darwin selama 16 – 27 Oktober 2017. Latma Elang Ausindo adalah latihan bilateral tempur udara antara RAAF dan TNI-AU yang diadakan setiap dua tahun sekali. Tujuan dari latihan ini adalah untuk meningkatkan interoperabilitas antar kedua negara dengan mengembangkan keterampilan dalam berbagai skenario Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) or Dogfighting yang dilaksanakan diatas perairan Australia Utara dan Darwin. |
| Latma Elang Ausindo melibatkan tujuh pesawat tempur F-16 dari TNI-AU Skadron 3 Iswahyudi dan delapan pesawat tempur F/A 18A Hornets milik RAAF Skadron 75. | |
| Komandan RAAF Skadron 75 Letkol Udara Michael Grant mengatakan “latihan ini memiliki tujuan ganda.” Pertama adalah untuk mempererat kerjasama internasional antara Australia dan Indonsia. Hal ini terutama pada tingkat anggota dan organisasi, mengembangkan hubungan ini sebaik mungkin untuk memastikan kelancaran operasi bersama di masa depan. Letkol Grant menambahkan “Kita beroperasi bersama, berintegrasi bersama dalam misi terkoordinasi bukan hanya untuk mempelajari kemampuan masing-masing namun juga berbagi beberapa keterampilan untuk memperkuat kerjasama kita saat beroperasi bersama.” | |
| Disela-sela latihan, anggota TNI-AU dan RAAF merasa bangga dengan adanya kunjungan khusus dari mantan Presiden RI Bapak Bambang Susilo Yudhoyono di Lanud RAAF Darwin. | |
| Latihan ditutup secara resmi pada 27 Oktober yang dipimpin oleh Komandan Lanud Iswahyudi, Marsma TNI Samsal Rizal dan PLT Wakil Komandan Udara Australia, Marsma Anthony Grady, AM. | |
| Pertemanan yang terbentuk selama latihan terlihat baik dan ramah terutama saat acara Aussie BBQ dimana para peserta nampak sangat menikmati malam keakraban tersebut yang dilaksanakan di Truscott Club, Lanud RAAF Darwin. Selain pertemanan yang terjalin saat itu, latma ini menunjukkan komitmen antara Indonesia dan Australia untuk mengembangkan prosedur tempur udara yang kooperatif, serta menunjukkan komitmen bekerjasama secara lebih dekat. Seluruh pihak yang terlibat mengharapkan adanya upaya untuk terus mempererat hubungan yang sudah kuat ini pada latihan selanjutnya, termasuk pada Latihan Pitch Black 2018 yang dijadwalkan untuk diselenggarakan di Australia serta perencanaan Latma Elang Ausindo 2019 di Indonesia. | |
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Exercise Elang Ausindo 2017
Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara - TNI-AU) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel once again came together to conduct Exercise Elang AUSINDO at RAAF Base Darwin during the period 16 – 27 October 2017. Exercise Elang AUSINDO is a bilateral air combat exercise between the RAAF and the (TNI-AU) held every two years. The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability between the two nations by developing skills in various Air Combat Manoeuvring (ACM) or ‘Dogfighting’ scenarios within designated training areas both off the coast of Northern Australia, and over land in the Northern Territory.The TNI-AU were represented by members of No. 3 Squadron, based at Iswahyudi Air Base, East Java who brought seven F-16C Block 25 Falcons, while members of 75 Squadron based at RAAF Base Tindal who temporarily relocated eight RAAF F/A 18A Hornets represented the RAAF.
Wing Commander Michael Grant, Commanding Officer of No 75 Squadron said, “The aim of the exercise is really two fold. The first is for international engagement between Australia and Indonesia. That is at the personnel and organisational level, developing those relationships as best we can to ensure that should we ever need to operate together in due course, the fundamental links are in place if and when that time arrives. WGCDR Grant added, “We are operating together, integrating together in co-ordinated missions to not only learn about each other’s capabilities, but also share some tactics to make us a stronger package when we do operate together”.
During the exercise, Indonesian and Royal Australian Air Force personnel were also honoured to play host to former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at RAAF Base Darwin.
The closing ceremony was conducted on 27 October with personnel from both No 3 Squadron and RAAF No 75 Squadron standing proud while being addressed by Commanding Officer of Iswahyudi Air Base, Air Commodore Samsal Rizal and Acting Deputy Air Commander Australia, Air Commodore Anthony Grady, AM.
The interaction between all personnel was very friendly, interactive and social, which became quite apparent during the end of exercise ‘Aussie BBQ’ where all participants could be seen enjoying some relaxed international engagement at the Truscott Club, RAAF Base Darwin. Aside from the new friendships formed during this time, the exercise demonstrated a commitment between both Australia and Indonesia to develop cooperative air combat procedures, as well as demonstrating the capacity to work together. All involved are looking forward to the continued expansion of what is already a solid relationship during future exercises, including Ex Pitch Black 2018 scheduled to be held in Australia, as well as the next iteration of Ex Elang AUSINDO which will be conducted in Indonesia in 2019. |
