Indonesian Air Force Deploys Caracal Helicopter to Fight Wildfires in IKN

RRI.CO.ID, Balikpapan - The Indonesian Air Force has deployed a Caracal helicopter from Air Squadron 8 to conduct water-bombing operations to combat wildfires in the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) area of East Kalimantan, Saturday, 5 September 2026.

The helicopter, piloted by Captain A. Rahmanto and First Lieutenant Raga D.P., carried out two sorties on the first day of the operation. A total of 15 water drops were conducted over several areas in and around IKN, including Bukit Merdeka, Bukit Tengkorak, and Wonotirto.

During the operation, water was collected from the nearest reservoir to the fire locations to support firefighting efforts. The aerial water-bombing were effective in significantly reducing hotspots in the targeted areas.

Commander of Dhomber Air Base Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Sorga Laksana said close coordination and up-to-date information on fire conditions were crucial to improving the effectiveness of the water-bombing operation. Such information is needed to ensure that aerial water drops are accurately targeted at fire locations.

“We need the latest coordinates and information on the fire situation, so closer coordination is necessary to make the water-bombing operation more effective,” I Gusti Ngurah Sorga Laksana said, as quoted in a press release issued Sunday, 6 September 2026.

The firefighting operation is being carried out based on information from Nusantara Capital Authority field officers at fire locations, as well as hotspot data from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG). The aircraft, crew, and weather conditions have remained in good condition, allowing the operation to continue without any difficulties.

The water-bombing operation is initially scheduled to run for five days, although its duration may be adjusted based on developments in the wildfires and reports of fire hotspots from personnel and local residents. “The operation is initially targeted to run for five days. However, we will provide daily updates based on fire hotspots and reports of fires from our colleagues in the field,” the Dhomber Air Base Commander concluded.