Indonesia To Upgrade F-16 Fighter Jets

Indonesian Air Force will upgrade its fleet of F-16 Falcon fighter jets stationed at Roesmin Nurjadi airforce base with improved avionic systems at the Iswahjudi Air Force Base, East Java.

The F-16 A/B Block 15 OCU fighter aircraft, which are on duty at the Roesmin Nurjadi AFB are planned to be replaced with F-16 C/D Block 52ID that are available at the Iswahjudi Base since last year, Antara news agency reports Friday. The replacement process for US-made aircraft will take place in several stages until April 2018.

"The aircraft's avionic systems will be improved or upgraded at Iswahjudi," Information Dept Head of Air Force, Rear Air Marshall Jemy Trisonjaya, was quoted as saying.

Trisonjaya said that the plan aims to replace 16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to strengthen the Roesmin Nurjadin Base's capabilities, while the existing A/B-type aircraft will be upgraded at the Iswahjudi Base.

It was reported early this year that Indonesian F-16A/B fighters stationed at Iswahyudi Air Base will get Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) sooner.

Indonesian Air Force operates two variants of F-16. They are General Dynamics F-16 A/B Block 15 OCU that procured under Project Peace Bima Sena I and F-16 C/D Block 52ID which were an upgraded version from F-16 Block 32 specially for Indonesia.