Ichsan Ali, Jakarta – The Indonesian Air Force on Wednesday commissioned four brand new Super Hercules C-130J-30 aircraft in a ceremony attended by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.

Since last year, Indonesia has received four of the five Hercules military planes it ordered from the US defense company Lockheed Martin in phased deliveries.

During the ritual, Jokowi broke a traditional clay water pitcher on the nose of the fourth Hercules the country received two days earlier. He also ceremoniously showered the nose with a mixture of water and flowers.

"Several years ago, we ordered the multirole Super Hercules C-130 planes which can carry out crucial combat or non-combat duties," the president said after the ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta.

He added that the Hercules can carry up to 120 personnel and 20 tons of cargo and conduct a non-stop flight for 11 hours.

"I think they are very important for a big and archipelagic country like Indonesia where many airports have short runways but these Super Hercules planes will have no problems to land on," he added.

According to Lockheed Martin's statement on its website, the new C-130J-30s provide increased cargo capacity, speed, range, power, performance, and lower operating costs, supporting a wide range of mission requirements for decades to come.

Indonesia has operated C-130s since the 1960s, using its Hercules fleet for critical national and regional missions such as delivering humanitarian aid and disaster relief, as well as providing military and peacekeeping support around the Pacific Rim.

Lockheed Martin claimed that it has delivered more than 500 C-130Js to 26 operators in 22 nations.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesian-air-force-welcomes-4-new-super-hercules-c130j