Jakarta, Aug. 20 -- The Defense Ministry confirmed plans to develop Kertajati Airport in West Java as a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility for Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) fighter jets.

The ministry's spokesperson Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait stated that the initiative aims to build national self-reliance in military aircraft maintenance utilizing domestic human resources.

"Kertajati will be developed to strengthen the TNI AU's aircraft maintenance capabilities, extending beyond transport aircraft like the Hercules to gradually support fighter jets," Sirait said on Wednesday.

He noted that establishing domestic MRO infrastructure will reduce dependency on foreign entities for technology updates, while driving te...