SHAH ALAM: TWO Indonesian AF F-16s were apparently scrambled to identify a RMAF C-130 Hercules which was flying some 24 nautical miles from Natuna island. Although press reports claimed that it was intercepted, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said that it was a visual identification only as the F-16s did not force the Hercules to land or disrupt its flight plan.
However, one of the F-16s tailed the Hercules from behind at a distance of one mile. The F-16s flew off without responding to the Hercules attempts to contact it.
Reports from Indonesia claimed the F-16s managed to force out a foreign aircraft from its territory though it could not identify the aircraft. One report said the radar system on Natuna could not identify the Hercules as the transponder on the aircraft was turned off. However when they checked Flight radar (the aircraft tracking website) it was squawking its data and was identified as a RMAF aircraft. As mentioned earlier the incident happened 24 nautical miles from Natuna island so the Hercules was not flying in Indonesian airspace at that point.
The full release:
“Today, I have received a detailed brief from the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), General Tan Sri Roslan bin Saad regarding the incident involving 2 Tentera Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU) F-16 Jets and a Royal Malaysian Air Force’s C130 (Callsign : MEGA 207) on Saturday, 25 June 2016.
MEGA 207 departed from Subang Air Force Base at 10:10AM for a scheduled training mission with a pre-determined flight plan towards Labuan Air Force Base.
At 12:03PM, MEGA207 received a visual identification from a TNI-AU F-16, 24 nautical miles from Natuna Islands at a height of 23,000 feet. The second TNI-AU F-16 was 1 nautical mile behind MEGA 207 at a height of 22,900 feet according to the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) onboard MEGA 207. All attempts from MEGA 207 to contact both TNI-AU fighter jets failed to receive a response. Both TNI-AU F-16s then dispersed from the airspace without any further incidents.
It must be noted that MEGA 207 was not intercepted by TNI-AU. An interception warrants the forcing down of our RMAF C-130 which did not occur. It was a mere visual identification of our aircraft.
This incident will not be taken lightly. We will continue to use this route without any reservations. As far as Malaysia is concerned, MEGA 207 conducted the scheduled training mission on a pre-determined flight route, in accordance with a flight plan that has been sent using the usual Standard Operating Procedure.
We also fully emphasize that the safety of the flight is to be fully observed at all times when flying in the internationally recognized airways. I have given full mandate to the Chief of the RMAF, General Tan Sri Roslan bin Saad, to take whatever action is needed to operationalize our rights on using this route and continue to work closely with his counterpart in Indonesia.
Furthermore, according to the Treaty between Malaysia and the Republic of Indonesia relating to the legal regime of archipelagic State and the rights of Malaysia in the territorial sea and archipelagic waters as well as in the airspace above the territorial sea, archipelagic waters and the territory of the Republic of Indonesia lying between East and West Malaysia dated 25 February 1982, Part III, Article 8, Para 1, State Aircraft – Malaysia has the right of continuous, expeditious and unobstructed overflight through the airspace.
Furthermore, the treaty clearly states the right of military aircraft to conduct aerial maneuvers, including tactical exercises, through the airspace above the territorial sea, archipelagic waters and the territory of the Republic of Indonesia, provided in the course of tactical exercises no firing of weapons is permitted.
Moving forward diplomatically, I will bring this issue up directly with General (Rtd.) Ryamizard Ryacudu, Indonesia’s Minister of Defence when I see him next month in Jakarta, Indonesia to convey Malaysia’s concern. While we share a close relationship, issues like this must be discussed in the open to ensure mutual understanding at all levels in both countries.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (23)
this where an AWECS would have been handy in identify possible hostile aircraft. Indo must have seen the insignia and move off.
this where an AWECS would have been handy in identify possible hostile aircraft. The F16s must have seen the insignia and move off.
alex,
I'm thinking same way too. They must be thinking it was the PLAAF/PLAN aircraft intruded the airspace. After all, Chinese Coast Guard did entered Natuna's coast recently.
alex,
An AEW would have made NO difference. And it's not as if any AEW we have will be used to watch over every single RMAF plane that flies close to an international air boundary. Stuff like this happens all the time and we shouldn't form any premature or sensational conclusions over it. The only difference is that this time around; it became public. There have been several occasions in the past where we have warned U.S. aircraft that unintentionally strayed into our airspace : no big deal, it happens.
any screenshot of its flight path?
I wonder if MEGA 207 was 24 nautical miles from natuna island airspace, are they flying in malaysian airspace right? So the F16 indonesia was the one should be called intruder. Where is our fighter to intercept them?
Reply
Not likely in Malaysian airspace. I think they were flying near the tip of the Kalimantan side near to the border with Sarawak, which is still likely in international airspace as the internationally recognised border is 12 nautical miles. There are two small islands between Kalimantan and the Natunas, both belonging to Indonesia. You can check the normal flight route to Labuan using the Flight Radar.
Firdaus - '' Where is our fighter to intercept them?''
Think.... Are we expected to keep fighters on standby every time an RMAF aircraft flies along the edge of an air boundary shared with another country? If that were the case we should have dozens of fighters on 24/7 alert instead of just 2!
Honestly I'm not sure why some are making such a fuss about this. It's not that such incidents are rare or that they've never occurred before. In the past the TNI-AU intercepted RAAF F-18s that were on their way to Singapore. Indonesia claimed the F-18s had strayed into Indonesian air space. Merely because it involved an RMAF plane that was allegedly ''intercepted'' that it's making such big news and people are acting as if this is the first time it's happening. We have an maritime boundaries in the Melaka Straits and South China Sea that are disputed with Indonesia. What's the big deal about an RMAF airplane that allegedly strayed or came close to straying into Indonesia airspace? Rightly or wrongly, the Indonesians did what they thought was right; they didn't act provocatively. We too routinely issue warnings to both military and civilian planes that stray into out air space without authorisation.
Azlan says:
'Honestly I’m not sure why some are making such a fuss about this. It’s not that such incidents are rare or that they’ve never occurred before.'
I remember one fine morning back in the late 1970s when there was an unfamiliar contrail high above Kota Kinabalu coming from the westerly direction going to the east.What was it?.......Maybe a Russian Tu-95 based at Danang making a courtesy visit?There was no radar coverage over Sabah then so it's difficult to identify the ownership of such an extremely high altitude flight!
If the F-16 never made radio contact and stay 1 mile away, how the hell the C-130 pilot knew he was being intercepted?
Reply
There was two F16s, read the press release.
Rozaimirafli,
If I'm not mistaken one of the S-600s was based at Labuan during the 1970's and there would also have been civilian ATC radars at Labuan and K.K. During the 1970's, like they did during the Confrontation, RAAF Mirage 111s made regular deployments to Sabah but off course Sabah [and Sarawak], then as now, is not covered under FPDAs IADS. Quite a few intercepts were made by RAAF Mirage 111s, who were responsible for QRA long after the F-5 were operational.
I won't be surprised if the Indonesian tabloids blow this incident way out of proportion; like they did with Ambalat and the seizure of Indonesian ships by us in the Melaka Straits. Fanning the fires of patriotism and nationalism works.