Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Indonesian Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday, (20/5/2026) a strategic plan to develop Kertajati Airport in Majalengka, West Java, into a regional maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) hub for C-130/Hercules aircraft across Asia. 

The decision came after a recent bilateral meeting at the Pentagon between Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who expressed interest in establishing a regional Hercules engine maintenance center.

"Currently, there is a plan to prepare the Kertajati Airport area as an MRO center for C-130/Hercules aircraft. The selection of Kertajati considers the availability of vast land and adequate aviation support facilities," said Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, the Head of the Defense Information Bureau, as cited by antaranews.com.

He said that the project will strengthen national defense, foster defense diplomacy with Asian nations using Hercules transport aircraft, and bolster the independence of the domestic defense industry.

Details on construction progress and timelines have not yet been disclosed.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)