Prabowo Orders Indonesian Military to Establish More Health Battalions

November 3, 2025 | 03:11 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ordered the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) to increase the number of health battalions, to assist in disaster handling and overseas humanitarian crises.

Prabowo issued the instruction after the handover of the Airbus A400M transport aircraft to the TNI. Prabowo handed over the aircraft with the number A-4001 to the TNI at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on Monday, November 3, 2025.

The aircraft arrived in Indonesia on Monday morning after a three-day journey from Seville, Spain.

He said that the transport aircraft could be used to assist in disaster management. "It will have an impact on evacuating the wounded, those who need surgery, and so on. That's why we have created an air ambulance operation module. And I have instructed the TNI to increase the number of health battalions," Prabowo said.

The Chair of the Gerindra Party said that the health battalion would be tasked with assisting humanitarian operations abroad. He argued that other countries also provided a lot of help when disasters occurred in Indonesia, such as the tsunamis in Aceh in 2004 and Palu in 2008.

The former Minister of Defense stated that Indonesia, as part of the global community, must also help other countries in times of need. He said that Indonesia has also deployed troops to assist in disaster management in other countries.

"When there was a major earthquake in Turkey, we sent two Hercules and were ready to send over vessels. We still have a medical team in Gaza with the UAE," said Prabowo.

Previously, the Head of the Indonesian Air Force Information Service (Dispenau), Air Commodore I Nyoman Suadnyana, stated that the A400M aircraft would strengthen the heavy transport fleet. The aircraft will be stationed at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base. "It is scheduled to arrive in Jakarta on November 3, and will be stationed at Halim," Nyoman said when asked for confirmation on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

The A400M is a versatile military transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus, capable of carrying loads of up to tens of tons, including armored vehicles and light helicopters. This aircraft can also operate on short and unpaved runways, making it a strategic asset for the Indonesian Air Force to support aerial operations and humanitarian missions across Indonesia.

Previously, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract to purchase two Airbus A400M aircraft in a multirole tanker and transport configuration. The contract, inked during the Dubai Airshow 2021, took effect in 2022. On that occasion, the Ministry of Defense also signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) for the acquisition of four A400M.

Dani Aswara contributed to the writing of this article.

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