An RAAF C-130J Hercules transport has arrived in East Java for a joint exercise with Indonesia.
A contingent of 26 personal from RAAF Base Richmond’s 37SQN have accompanied the aircraft to Exercise Rajawali Ausindo 12, scheduled to run from September 17-21. The exercise will see Australian and Indonesian C-130s fly a series of transport and airdrop missions designed to train for future combined humanitarian operations.
“The value of this exercise is apparent when our respective C-130 workforces provide a coordinated response in the wake of a disaster,” said Air Commodore Gary Martin, commander of the RAAF’s Air Lift Group. “Through Exercise Rajawali Ausindo, we can better understand each other’s capability, how each Air Force works, and what we can learn from each other.”
Australia and Indonesia have operated C-130s for longer than any country besides the United States, with Australia’s first C-130 going into service in 1958 and Indonesia’s two years later.
Australia donated four retired C-130H aircraft to Indonesia earlier this year, and the two countries are close to a deal that would see Australia sell Indonesia six more C-130Hs for about US$15 million each.
