Paskhas

The Korps Pasukan Khas (Paskhas) is an elite Special Forces Corps of the TNI-AU (Indonesian Air Force). Like other elite units in the Army and Navy, Paskhas is a ground combat unit that is capable of operating on land, sea, and air. The difference is that Paskhas is trained to seize and defend airfields from enemy forces, and then prepare the airfields to be able to facilitate friendly airplanes to land. This capability is called Front Air Base Establishment and Management Operation (Operasi Pembentukan dan Pengoperasian Pangkalan Udara Depan - OP3UD). Paskhas are the only IAF special forces and has many air-oriented combat ability such as combat control team, air fields control, combat SAR, jump master, ground forward air control, and they can also rules as Air Traffic Controller (ATC).

History

The history of Paskhas as the first airborne troops is almost as old as the Republic of Indonesia. Airborne infiltration operation by 14 paratroopers on October 17, 1947 in Kotawaringin, Kalimantan, is marked as the birth date of Paskhas. In the early years of Indonesian Air Force (established on April 9, 1946), these airborne units are called Air Field Defense Troops (PPP). In April 1952, the Quick-Reaction Troops (PGT) was also established to strengthen the IAF. In 1952, the IAF ground units consisted of PPP, PGT, and PSU (Air Defense Unit). On October 15, 1962, PPP and PGT were organized into Air Fields Defense Command (Koppau). Later on May 17, 1966, Koppau was renamed to Quick-Reaction Troops Command (Kopasgat). There were three Kopasgat regiments, each located in Bandung, Jakarta and Surabaya. Kopasgat was transformed into Special Forces Center in 1985 before became Paskhas on July 7, 1997 based on the official decision of Indonesian Armed Forces Commander.

Strength

  Today Paskhas has strength of around 7,300 personnel. Every Paskhas personnel must have Para-Commando qualification then added by special air aspects qualification based on his specialization. Paskhas famous with their orange beret that they used from this forces still with name Kopasgat in the mid of 1960’s. Paskhas motto is Karmanye Vadikaraste Mafalesu Kadatjana which meaning is working without hoping any reward. Every Paskhas personnel also equipped with white Commando dagger made from Germany. Orange beret and Commando dagger becoming trademark of this special forces. Paskhas also known with its light green camouflage uniform call Commando Stripe with a stretch out straight motif like moss-covered wooden, that’s very famous during Seroja operation in East Timor. There is a plan to expand Paskhas unit into 10 or 11 battalion with twice as many personnel as what they are today. Until now, the placement of Paskhas still follows the organization of IAF weapon system, in particular the combat and support-combat airplanes. In other words, wherever there is an IAF main airbase, ideally there is a Paskhas battalion as the airfield defense unit.

Structure

 

1. Paskhas Headquarter in (Sulaiman AFB, Margahayu Bandung)
2. 1st Wing/Hardha Maruta (Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base (AFB), Jakarta)WEST REGIONAL:
   1. Battalion 461/Cakra Bhaskara (Halim Perdanakusuma AFB, Jakarta)
   2. Battalion 462/Pulanggeni (Pekan Baru AFB, Riau)
   3. Battalion 465/Brajamusti (Supadio AFB, Pontianak)
   4. Battalion 467/Harda Dedali (Halim Perdanakusuma AFB, Jakarta)
   5. A- Independent Company (Polonia AFB, Medan) NEXT TO BE BATTALION 469
   6. B- Independent Company (Suryadarma AFB, Subang)
   7. G- Independent Company (Lhokseumawe AFB, Aceh)
   8. H- Independent Company (Sultan Iskandar Muda AFB, Aceh)
3. 2nd Wing Paskhas (Abdul Rachman Saleh AFB, Malang):CENTER REGIONAL :
   1. Battalion 463/Trisula (Iswahyudi AFB, Madiun)
   2. Battalion 464/Nanggala (Abdul Rachman Saleh AFB, Malang)
   3. Battalion 466/Pasopati (Sultan Hasanuddin AFB, Makasar)
   4. Battalion 468/Sarotama (Manuhua AFB, Biak)
   5. E- Independent Company (Adi Sucipto AFB, Yogyakarta)
   6. D- Independent Company (El Tari AFB, Kupang)
   7. F- Independent Company (Manuhua AFB, Biak)
4. 3rd Wing Paskhas / Training Center, (Sulaiman AFB, Bandung)NEXT TO BE KODIKLAT PASKHAS
5. Den Bravo-90, (Rumpin, Bogor)
6. NEXT 3rd Wing Paskhas TO BE / Training Center, (Hasanuddin AFB, Bandung)EAST REGIONAL

 

Combat Qualification

 Paskhas personnel as an integral part of Air Force having their own specialty. This specialty was on duty that they are facing. Paskhas personnel having qualification and special ability to protect, defense and operate Air Field facilities. Air Force having high technology weapons system that becomes vital object to destroy by enemy forces.

Basic qualification for Paskhas personnel was Para-Commando; other qualification added based on his specialty. As Combat Control team (CCT) they have combat free fall ability, scuba diving and combat climber. CCT must be able to infiltrate from three media aspects (sea, air, land). Beside that, this team personnel must have one of the air aspect specialization such as Air Traffic Controller (PLLU), Meteorology (Meteo), Electronic-Communication (Komlek), Combat Field Engineer (Zeni), Intelligence, Fire Fighter (PK), Ground handling, Petroleum affairs (Permi), and Combat-Health affairs (Keslap). For free fall qualification they must brave enough to jump high and open his parachute in minimum high. Airborne technique that used was HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) or HAHO (High Altitude High Opening) with jump around 20.000 feet above sea level.
CCT also having qualification to direct fighter plane to bombing or shooting the target from the ground (Ground Forward Air Control/GFAC). This role was very important in battle because Air Support must be precise on time and target. Paskhas personnel must be able to use IT and to communicate with multimedia tools. Beside of that, they also demanding to have combat intelligence ability as a collection board (Bapul) for higher command or other side that needed. For example, informing about flight facilities before plane arrived, visibility, wind speed and direction, temperature and air humidity also height and cloud type. This was very important factor in bombing target and for the airborne process. All the personnel also having Combat-Field Engineer (include pioneer, rope, etc.), Air Field Control (Dallan) to operate flight in some aerodrome. Air Traffic Control (PLLU), which can control flight traffic in their sector area. Petroleum Affairs (Permi) to know and testing the oil standard that fulfill the conditions and the way to fill the oil in to the airplane. This special qualification surely not having by the all-Indonesian armed forces soldier.
Because Paskhas was commando forces, they rarely involve many personnel in their operation. Paskhas also using unusual calls when they doing combat mission such as detachment, team and unit to difference them from regular forces. It must be honestly admitted that there is no commando forces like Paskhas in the world

 

By Wikipedia.Org