Jakarta, Aug. 19 -- Indonesia's Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin held a strategic meeting aboard a modernized Hercules C-130 transport aircraft on Wednesday, urging the defense industry to expand domestic capabilities.

The meeting at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, coincided with the handover of upgraded C-130H A-1319 from PT Garuda Maintenance Facility Aero Asia Tbk to the Defense Ministry.

The handover marks a breakthrough for Indonesia's domestic defense industry, as local companies expand their role in maintaining strategic military equipment.

A-1319 is the first Hercules to undergo major modifications outside Lockheed Martin facilities, including center wing box replacement, avionics upgrades and str...