Government Discusses Airport Optimization and the Defense Industry

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Defense, Donny Ermawan, received a working visit from the Vice Minister of National Development Planning/Vice Head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Defense in Jakarta on Monday, 25 May 2026.

The meeting aimed to discuss coordination for accelerating various national strategic programs directly related to the management of defense assets, the optimization of transportation infrastructure, and the development of the national aerospace industry.

The main agenda focused on plans to reactivate and optimize the commercialization of several airports, including Husein Sastranegara Airport in Bandung and Adi Sutjipto Airport in Yogyakarta, following direct instructions from the President of Indonesia. Regarding the shared use of Indonesian Air Force bases for commercial civil aviation, the Ministry of Defense expressed its full commitment and regulatory support.

Technical challenges related to apron capacity arrangements and flight scheduling management will be further coordinated across sectors together with the Ministry of Transportation and the relevant regional governments.

During the discussion, the Vice Minister of Defense emphasized the importance of maintaining military operational readiness while also supporting regional economic growth through the civil aviation sector. He specifically stressed the principle of shared use of air base facilities.

“We welcome the plan to reopen commercial flights while ensuring that the operational readiness and defense presence of the Indonesian Air Force in the area remain optimal and well maintained. Moving forward, the primary concern will be technical arrangements related to apron usage and flight scheduling to prevent congestion, so that military and civil activities can operate harmoniously, in balance, and without disrupting one another,” the Vice Minister of Defense said.

In addition to airport restructuring, the meeting also discussed the long-term projection to establish a macro aerospace industry ecosystem through the Sustainable Aerospace Park concept in Kertajati. The concept combines commercial and military Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities.

Both parties agreed to continue refining the technocratic blueprint and asset management framework. The meeting concluded with a joint commitment to promptly hold more intensive follow-up coordination meetings involving technical ministries, the Indonesian Air Force, and the relevant provincial governments.