The U.S. Air Force deployed its B-52H Stratofortress intercontinental-range strategic bomber to Indonesia for the first time on June 19, landing at the strategic Kuala Namu International Airport on Sumatra Island. The bombers were escorted by three Indonesian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, which form the backbone of the country’s fleet along with Russian Su-27s and Su-30s, purchased second-hand from the United States. The B-52s were deployed from the U.S. Air Force’s main facility in the region, Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, where the nuclear-armed bombers have been stationed for decades. B-52 deployed after Indonesia reject U.S. military aircraft are permanently stationed on its soil, but as more Pacific island nations begin permanently deploying U.S. assets, Washington is under increasing pressure to change its stance. A foothold in Indonesia has been a key goal since the Barack Obama administration launched its “pivot to Asia” initiative early in its first term, under which the Pentagon shifted its assets and focus to the Western Pacific in response to growing pressure on Western military dominance Growth challenges expand the regional impact of China’s defense capabilities. The B-52 was recently confirmed to remain permanently deployed in northern Australia, which could pave the way for more frequent stops in Indonesia.
The B-52 is one of the oldest fighter jets still in service in the world, with airframes in service today built from the late 1950s to early 1960s. Still, the aircraft is in many ways the most powerful bomber in service in the Western world, as not only has it not suffered from the maintenance problems or low availability that have crippled the newer B-1B and B-2 bomber aircraft team, but it is also capable of deploying an array of long-range nuclear-tipped cruise missiles, something no other bomber class can do. This allows the B-52s to engage targets in much of China and North Korea from very safe distances in the South China Sea, and their firepower has been significantly enhanced from new external weapons pylons installed in the late 2010s. The aircraft, recently deployed to Indonesia, is speculated to take part in Exercise Cope West 2023 – a bilateral training exercise involving the US and Indonesian air forces at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base.
The limited number of U.S. fighter jets deployed by the Indonesian Air Force, although its F-16s are considered one of the least capable in the world and lack any beyond-visual-range air-to-air capability, presents an even bigger problem for the country’s Russian acquisitions. The burden of ensuring the security of the nation’s airspace for aircraft. Indonesia was forced to cancel plans to buy Russian Su-35 fighter jets after placing an order in 2018 as Washington threatened to impose economic sanctions on the country. While Jakarta maintains a neutral stance in the ongoing conflict between the US and China and hostilities between Russia and NATO, the Indonesian military as an institution has long leaned strongly towards the West.As early as 1965, the military had special stage a coupWith strong support from the US, UK and Australia, it opposed a government that was then closely allied with China and the Soviet Union. The military maintains considerable political influence in the country, and while the business community has been urging close ties with China, which is by far Indonesia’s most important trade and technology partner, close ties between the U.S. and Indonesian militaries are seen as to balance this.