Jakarta (ANTARA) –
Four Dassault Rafale fighter jets and two Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft, the Indonesian Air Force’s newest aircraft, made their first flypast over Merdeka Palace during a ceremony marking the 81st Commemoration of Indonesia’s Independence Day on Monday in Jakarta.
The Rafale fighter pilots performed a “High-G Turn” maneuver, demonstrating their expertise in operating the Air Force’s newest fleet, procured during President Prabowo Subianto’s tenure as Minister of Defense.
During the maneuver, the gravitational force (G-force) increased from the normal 1G to 7G and even exceeded 9G.
From the podium, President Prabowo, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, and the seventh President Joko Widodo watched the Rafale perform a low-level flyby followed by a sharp dive and a high-speed climb.
In the following maneuver, four Rafales flew low over the podium at Merdeka Palace, escorting two of the Air Force’s most modern transport aircraft, the Airbus A400M.
The series of air defense equipment demonstrations began with eight joint TNI-Polri helicopters flying low, carrying a giant Red-White Indonesian flag and forming a “Giant Flag Formation,” opening the air defense equipment demonstration over the Merdeka Palace.
The action then continued with a joint Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) helicopter display with the callsign “Nusantara Flight.”
In the formation, helicopters unfurled a giant Indonesian flag, along with the 81st Indonesian Independence Day logo, “Indonesia Berdaulat, Adil, dan Makmur” or Sovereign, Just and Prosperous Indonesia”.
The helicopters consisted of one EC-725 Caracal, three NAS-332 Super Pumas, one Eurocopter AS365 N3+ Dauphin, two AH-46 Apache helicopters, an AS565 MBe Panther, and two Agusta Westland AW169 helicopters.
The next attraction was a live Independence Day greeting delivered by a Rafale fighter pilot from the cockpit. The pilot congratulated Indonesians on the 81st anniversary of independence and expressed hopes for a sovereign, just, and prosperous Indonesia.
Shortly afterward, Indonesian Air Force fighter jets formed the number “81” and flew over Merdeka Palace under the callsign “Garuda Flight” as a special performance.
The flypast continued with a display of the Air Force’s newest defense equipment, including Rafale fighter jets and A400M transport aircraft, under the callsigns “Macan Flight,” “Atlas Flight,” and “Panther Flight.”
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The Jupiters’ Performance
The aerial showcase continued with a performance by the Indonesian Air Force’s aerobatic team, “The Jupiters.” Eight KT-1B Wongbee aircraft, featuring distinctive red-and-white colors, opened the show with a “Screw Roll” maneuver, with one aircraft circling seven others flying low over Merdeka Palace.
Eight Jupiter aircraft then separated into two groups. Six aircraft flew in front of the Merdeka Palace in the “Wings of the Garuda” formation.
In this formation, the aerobatic pilots flew their aircraft over the Merdeka Palace and then climbed to a height resembling the flapping wings of the Garuda. They flew while releasing smoke trails representing the red and white colors of the Indonesian flag.
In the next maneuver, two Jupiter aircraft performed their signature “Snake Loop” maneuver. With red and white smoke trails, the two KT-1B Wongbee aircraft weaved in and out over the National Monument (Monas) before flying low over the Merdeka Palace at low speed.
The Jupiters’ performance concluded with their final maneuver, the “Clover Leaf Cascade,” which combined a cloverleaf pattern with a waterfall-like gliding motion.
Finally, Indonesian Air Force T-50i Golden Eagle fighter jets, flying under the callsign “Golden Flight,” performed a bomb burst, flying high in a tight formation, then suddenly separating, diving, and scattering in different directions.
The fighter jets then flew low, one by one, at high speed over the Merdeka Palace.
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Translator: Genta Tenri, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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