Indonesia emergency runway plan is transforming toll roads into emergency landing strips for fighter jets across the country.
The strategy will allow military aircraft to land and take off from selected highway sections during national emergencies.
Air Force Chief Marshal Tonny Harjono said the government wants all 38 provinces to have at least one toll road segment that can function as a runway.
This week, an F-16 fighter jet and a Super Tucano aircraft successfully landed on a toll road in Lampung province on Sumatra island.
Officials described the exercise as a major step toward strengthening Indonesia’s national defense system.
Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago, with more than 6,000 inhabited islands spread over 5,000 kilometers.
Because of this geography, protecting the entire country with traditional air bases or aircraft carriers would be expensive and difficult.
Indonesia does not operate an aircraft carrier, and purchasing one would cost billions of dollars.
Defense analysts say the Indonesia emergency runway plan offers a cost-effective and flexible alternative.
Instead of relying on one large carrier that can be targeted easily, multiple road-based runways reduce risk and improve operational readiness.
If one runway becomes unusable, others can continue functioning.
Authorities clarified that the plan is not directed at any specific country, despite regional tensions in the South China Sea.
Toll roads will continue serving the public and will only be used by the Air Force during emergency situations.
Each designated section will be about 3,000 meters long, although the roads are narrower than standard airport runways.
Officials said Indonesian pilots are specially trained to handle such challenging landings.
Experts believe the Indonesia emergency runway plan will strengthen air force mobility while keeping defense spending under control.
