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Operation Alpha (Indonesia)

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Not to be confused with Operation Alpha or Operation Alpha 29.
A-4 Skyhawk-Double Seat TNI-AU

Indonesian Air Force A-4 Skyhawk. extended jetpipes were visible, a modification found in Israeli A-4 as a protection against heat seeking missiles.

Operation Alpha was a covert operation carried out by the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) to acquire 31-34 units of Douglas A-4 Skyhawk fighter aircraft from the Israeli military, train Indonesian pilots in Israel, and disguise the fighter planes so they can be brought home at a later date. 1980. This was told by the former Commander of the National Air Defense Command (Pangkohanudnas) Marsda Djoko Poerwoko through his biography entitled Dancing in the Sky.[1] According to Poerwoko, the operation was "the biggest clandestine (secret) operation carried out by Indonesian National Armed fores".[2] However, the TNI has never acknowledged this until now.[3]

Background[]

This operation was motivated by a shortage of combat aircraft in the Indonesian Air Force. Aircraft such as the F-86 and T-33 are old and not fully operational. The United States could provide 16 F-5 E/F Tiger II aircraft, but this was deemed insufficient. In addition, Indonesia must face further military operations in East Timor.[4]

Intelligence Officials received information that Israel will sell 32 A-4 Skyhawk. The problem is, apart from no diplomatic relations, the purchase of fighter planes to Israel will also reap strong protests from the public. However, ABRI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) decided to continue the operation.

Execution[]

Before sending the pilots, the government sent a number of Air Force technicians who were divided into seven batches for 20 months in Israel, after the last batches of the technicians completed their training, 10 Indonesian Air Force pilots departed for Israel. The ten pilots sent in the Operation Alpha were Lt. Col. Suyamto, Major Irawan Saleh, Major Donan Sunanto, Captain PA. Lumintang, Captain F. Djoko Poerwoko, Captain Suminar Hadi, Captain Dwie Harmono, Captain Teddy Sumarno, Captain R. Supriyanto, and First Lieutenant Eddy Haryoko. Even the 10 pilots did not know where they would be dispatched. The 10 pilots departed on a Garuda Indonesia flight from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base to Paya Lebar Air base in Singapore. After landing in Singapore, they were picked up by several ABRI (Indonesian National Armed Forces) intelligence officers. During dinner, one of ABRI's Strategic Intelligence Agency (BAIS) officers asked for their passports and replaced them with a "Laksana Warrant Passport" (SPLP).

It was then that the Chief of BAIS ABRI, Major General Benny Moerdani, gave the order. Major General Benny Moerdani stated that the operation was a secret mission. If the mission fails, the Indonesian government will not recognize their citizenship. Benny also gave options, if anyone has doubts, please come back. This operation is considered successful if the A-4 Skyhawk fighter, codenamed 'merpati', has entered Indonesia. They began to realize that they would be flown to Israel.

That same night the ten pilots changed their identities. Not in the name of Indonesia and not as Indonesian citizen or soldiers. Then they were flown to Frankfurt Airport, Germany. Until there they also do not know the next journey. Until finally receiving a boarding pass for the next flight, to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Israel[]

Upon arrival in Israel, they were arrested and escorted by Ben Gurion airport security officers. The officers turned out to be undercover Mossad agents and took them to the basement where there were BAIS ABRI officers in that room.

They immediately received brief briefings on various things that must be considered while in Israel. Everything related to Indonesia was swept. These pilots were also taught to memorize a few Hebrew sentences such as "Ani tayas mis Singapore" which means "I am a pilot from Singapore" in the sense that they were ordered to admit to being pilots from Singapore. There is also the greeting "boken tof" which means good morning. Next, they traveled south along the Dead Sea overland for two days to the city of Eilat.

By agreement, during the exercise the Air Base was named Arizona by the pilots. Because officially the pilots will be sent to Arizona. There they trained on the A-4 Skyhawk. Carrying out various maneuvers, operating warplanes as war machines, to penetrate the Syrian border.

After about 4 months, the flight training ended on May 20, 1980. The officers graduated and were entitled to receive combat pilot certificates. However, the ABRI intelligence officers who were present burned it in front of the pilots. Of course to eliminate evidence that there was ever military cooperation between Indonesia and Israel.

The pilots were then brought to the United States just for taking pictures. Wherever there was writing "US" they were told to take pictures. They also take photos with USMC's A-4. This is to pretend that they were sent to the US, not Israel. To the commanders in the unit, these pilots must admit that they have been trained in the US, not Israel.

A-4 Skyhawks in Indonesian Service[]

see also: List of Douglas A-4 Skyhawk operators

On May 4, 1980, the first batch of A-4 Skyhawk packages, consisting of two single-seat aircraft and two double-seater aircraft arrived at Tanjung Priok port. The planes were transported by ship directly from Israel, wrapped in plastic, labeled 'F-5'. At that time, Indonesia also ordered F-5 Tiger aircraft from the US. So, it's as if the plane being transported by the ship is an F-5 plane. In waves, the A-4 Skyhawk continued to arrive. In September 1980, the number of A-4s received by Indonesia totaled 16 units.[5][6] Different sources claim different numbers, but in total, Indonesia acquired 31-34 A-4 Skyhawks from Israel between 1980 and 1982, of the 31-34 A-4, most of them were A-4E, some of them were TA-4H[7] and TA-4J. During its service in Indonesia, various military operations have been carried out by the A-4 Skyhawk. These operations included Operation Sriti Samber (Air to Air refueling operation) and Operation Lotus (1980–1999) in East Timor, Operation Oscar (1991–1992) in Sulawesi, and Operation Rencong Terbang (1991–1995) in Aceh. August 5, 2004, was the last time the Indonesian Air Force's A-4 Skyhawk flew and ended its service. All A-4s were retired in 2004.[8]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ Kisah operasi alpha, misi pembelian pesawat TNI AU ke Israel - merdeka.com
  2. ↑ Menyusup Ke Israel - Republika.co.id
  3. ↑ Operasi Alpha, Kerjasama Rahasia Militer RI-Israel (I) - Detik.com
  4. ↑ Operasi Alpha, Kerjasama Rahasia Militer RI-Israel (I) - Detik.com
  5. ↑ "10 Penerbang TNI AU yang dikirim dalam Proyek Alpha". Airspace Review. https://www.airspace-review.com/2023/07/15/10-penerbang-tni-au-yang-dikirim-dalam-proyek-alpha/. 
  6. ↑ Operasi Alpha, Kerjasama Rahasia Militer RI-Israel (II) - detik.com
  7. ↑ "Israeli A-4 Skyhawks". https://skyhawk.org/article-unit/israeli-skyhawks. 
  8. ↑ "Komposisi Penerbang A-4 Skyhawk TNI AU di Tahun 1999". https://www.airspace-review.com/2023/07/15/komposisi-penerbang-a-4-skyhawk-tni-au-di-tahun-1999/. 
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