Antara, Jakarta – Air Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono was sworn in as the new chief of staff of the Indonesian Air Force on Friday, succeeding Air Chief Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo, who is set to retire next week.

The inauguration ceremony, led by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo at the State Palace in Jakarta, was attended by key cabinet members, including Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, the winner of the Feb. 14 presidential election.

Tonny, 52, is a former combat pilot with experience flying American fighter jet the F-16, as well as Russian jets like the Su-27 and Su-30.

According to the Antara news agency, Tonny was one of the four pilots who scrambled to intercept two American fighter jets that had trespassed into Indonesian airspace during an incident in July 2003. This incident led to an apology from the US Embassy in Jakarta to the Indonesian government.

A graduate of the Air Force Academy in 1993, Tonny previously served as the president's military secretary and commanded Air Force bases in Solo and Jakarta in the years leading up to his latest promotion.

Following the inauguration, Tonny participated in a ceremony at the Halim Perdana Kusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta, marking the handover of duties from his predecessor, led by Indonesian Armed Forces Commander General Agus Subiyanto.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/tonny-harjono-sworn-in-as-new-air-force-chie