TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) received one unit of C-130 Hercules aircraft belonging to the Indonesian Air Force at the Aircraft Services (ACS) PTDI hangar on Jalan Pajajaran, Bandung city, on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. PTDI will modernize the high-wing, four-engine, turboprop military transport aircraft.
The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) owns 9 Hercules aircraft, which will undergo modernization gradually. The first Hercules aircraft unit is already parked in the PTDI ACS hangar and will soon undergo modernization.
The modernization process includes replacing the middle part of the wing box and upgrading the aircraft's avionics systems. This includes replacing the analog cockpit with digital systems and updating the navigation, communication, and flight control systems.
"If we are contractually receiving nine aircraft, the workshop itself will cover the center wing box replacement and avionic upgrade program so that the implementation will be like that," said PTDI's Director of Commerce, Technology, and Development, Mohammad Arif Faisal, at the ACS PTDI hangar on Wednesday.
Faisal said that they have been preparing the personnel and equipment necessary for modernizing the Hercules aircraft for a long time. During the modernization process, PTDI is also collaborating with the Air Force Materiel Maintenance Command (Koharmatau),
"This is our first experience, we are also supported by partners, including from TNI AU, Koharmatau, so with the experience we have had before, even though not with C-130 aircraft, we can handle these challenges (aircraft modernization)," he said.
The Head of the Material Maintenance Command, Colonel Engineer Arif Djoko Nugroho, said the modernization target for each Hercules aircraft unit could be completed within six months. According to him, the Hercules aircraft's service life has expired, so the modernization is expected to extend it.
"This Hercules aircraft has already exceeded its service life, so after the replacement of the CWB, it is expected to have a 15-year service life extension or 25,000 flying hours," said Arif.
Arif mentioned that the Indonesian Air Force has allocated a budget of Rp150 billion for the modernization process of the nine C-130 Hercules aircraft. He added that these nine C-130 Hercules aircraft were received by the Indonesian Air Force in 1981, and that the center wing box is approaching 45,000 flying hours and needs to be replaced as soon as possible. It is hoped that replacing the CWB will extend the aircraft's service life by 15 years.
"This aircraft is used for humanitarian aid, especially for natural disasters such as earthquakes, as well as for providing humanitarian assistance outside Indonesia, including in Gaza," he said.
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