Indonesia Transforms Toll Roads into Emergency Runways for Jets

Indonesia is initiating a plan to convert toll roads into emergency runways for military jets, effectively creating multiple operational bases across its vast archipelago. The chief of staff of the Indonesian Air Force, Marshal Tonny Harjono, announced this development on Wednesday, indicating a goal for each of the country’s 39 provinces to have at least one section of toll road designated for emergency landings, although no specific timeline has been provided.

During a demonstration in Lampung province on the southern tip of Sumatra, an Indonesian Air Force F-16 fighter jet and a Super Tucano attack plane successfully took off and landed on a toll road. Deputy Defense Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto remarked on this achievement, calling it a significant step towards enhancing Indonesia’s defense capabilities.

Using highways as military landing strips is not an entirely new practice. Countries like the United States, Finland, and Sweden have previously conducted similar operations. The Indonesian initiative reflects a broader strategy, as the U.S. military also explores dispersing fighter jets across various Pacific islands to reduce their vulnerability in potential conflicts, particularly concerning tensions with China.

While Indonesia has had ongoing disputes with China in the South China Sea, officials stress that this new plan is not aimed at any specific nation. The Indonesian Air Force stated, “The use of toll roads as situational alternative runways is expected to strengthen the operational readiness of the Indonesian Air Force in facing various potential threats, without reducing the primary function of toll roads as public transportation infrastructure.”

This strategy is viewed as a cost-effective solution for a country that spans over 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) and comprises more than 6,000 inhabited islands. Establishing a fleet of aircraft carriers to cover such vast territory would be both financially prohibitive and logistically challenging. Aircraft carriers can cost billions of dollars and require extensive maintenance.

Collin Koh, a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, noted that the toll road strategy makes more strategic sense. “Having countless toll roads and highways earmarked as emergency military runways across the entire archipelago reduces risk compared to maintaining a single aircraft carrier,” Koh explained. “If you strike the aircraft carrier once, it’s gone; with multiple roads, the loss of one runway does not incapacitate the entire operation.”

The plan involves creating 3,000-meter-long (almost two miles) sections on toll roads for military aircraft landings and takeoffs. Harjono acknowledged the skill of Indonesian pilots, who are trained to navigate landings on roads that are only half as wide as conventional airport runways, which typically range from 45 to 60 meters. “Toll roads are only about 24 meters (79 feet) wide, narrower than airport runways. It’s risky, but Air Force pilots are trained for these conditions,” he stated, as reported by the government-run Antara news agency.

The ambitious project aims to enhance Indonesia’s military capabilities while maintaining the primary purpose of its toll roads. By integrating emergency runways into existing infrastructure, Indonesia positions itself to respond more effectively to various operational challenges in the region.