Neither China nor India: the country that is considering turning toll roads into runways for its fighter jets
Experts say this measure increases preparedness for potential threats without interfering with road infrastructure.
Indonesia is moving ahead with an ambitious plan to convert toll roads across the country into emergency landing strips for its fighter aircraft.
Tonny Harjono, chief of staff of the Indonesian air force, said Wednesday that he hopes each of the nation’s 38 provinces will eventually have a stretch of highway that can be used as an emergency runway.
An Indonesian air force F-16 fighter jet and a Super Tucano attack aircraft recently tested the project’s feasibility by landing successfully on a toll road in Lampung province, on the island of Sumatra.
Following the successful trial, Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto said: “This success marks an important milestone in strengthening the universal defense system.”
While the approach may sound novel, several countries have carried out similar exercises, including the United States, Finland and Sweden.
Indonesia air force statement and regional tensions
Indonesia is locked in disputes with China in the South China Sea, though officials insist the initiative is not aimed at any specific country. In a statement, the Indonesian air force said, “The use of toll roads as alternative runways will strengthen the air force’s operational readiness to face various potential threats, without affecting the main function of these roads as public transportation routes.”
Analysts note that the strategy also offers a cost-effective way to defend a sprawling nation. Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with more than 6,000 inhabited islands spread across an east-west axis stretching roughly 5,000 kilometers – about 3,100 miles.
Harjono explained that the plan calls for dedicated highway sections measuring 3,000 meters – around 9,840 feet – long, sufficient for military aircraft to take off and land.
“The toll roads are only about 24 meters – roughly 79 feet – wide, much narrower than airport runways, which range from 45 to 60 meters,” he said, according to the state-run Antara news agency. “It is risky, but air force pilots are trained for these conditions.”
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