Indonesia Transforms Toll Roads into Emergency Runways for Jets

Indonesia is initiating a plan to convert toll roads nationwide into emergency runways for military aircraft, effectively creating a network of makeshift airbases across the archipelago. The country’s air force chief, Marshal Tonny Harjono, announced on Wednesday that the goal is for each of the 39 provinces to have at least one toll road section designated for this purpose, although no specific timeline has been established.

In a demonstration in Lampung Province, located on the southern tip of Sumatra, both an F-16 fighter jet and a Super Tucano attack plane successfully landed and took off from a toll road. The event was hailed as a significant achievement by Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto, who stated, “This success marks an important milestone in strengthening the universal defense system.”

Utilizing highways as military landing strips is not a novel idea; several countries, including the United States, Finland, and Sweden, have previously implemented similar strategies. This approach aligns with broader military objectives, particularly the U.S. military’s emphasis on dispersing assets across islands in the Pacific to enhance operational security amid rising tensions with China.

Despite Indonesia’s ongoing territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, officials have clarified that the toll road plan is not directed against any specific nation. An official statement from the Indonesian Air Force emphasized that the use of toll roads as emergency runways aims to bolster the operational readiness of the air force while preserving the primary function of these roads for public transportation.

The initiative is also viewed as a cost-effective solution to Indonesia’s unique geographical challenges. As the world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia comprises over 6,000 inhabited islands stretching approximately 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles) east to west. Maintaining an aircraft carrier fleet, which can cost billions of dollars, poses significant financial challenges.

Collin Koh, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, noted, “An aircraft carrier doesn’t seem that attractive as a cost-effective platform. Having countless toll roads and highways earmarked as emergency military runways across the entire archipelago makes more strategic and operational sense.” Koh further explained that the risk associated with multiple runways is lower than that associated with a single aircraft carrier, where a single strike could incapacitate the entire platform.

The plan includes the establishment of toll road sections approximately 3,000 meters (almost two miles) long, suitable for military aircraft operations. Harjono acknowledged the challenges faced by pilots, as toll roads are typically only 24 meters (79 feet) wide, narrower than standard airport runways, which range from 45 to 60 meters. “It’s risky, but Air Force pilots are trained for these conditions,” he remarked, as quoted by the government-run Antara news agency.

Overall, Indonesia’s innovative strategy of converting toll roads into emergency runways represents a significant step toward enhancing its military capabilities while also addressing the logistical hurdles posed by its vast and diverse geography.