Safeguarding Indonesia’s National Security: A Comprehensive Strategy Amidst Rising Challenges from China

 Major Kresna Hendra Wibawa/Flight 17/NS-601E Final Essay/12 December 2023

    

            To form a government of the state of Indonesia which shall protect all the people of Indonesia and all the independence and the land that has been struggled for, and to improve public welfare., participate toward establishing a world order based on freedom, perpetual peace, and social justice.” The Preamble of Indonesia’s Constitution clearly states the objectives and the statutes of the Government and State of Indonesia.[i] The Indonesian government's primary goal is to prioritize Indonesia's sovereignty and prosperity while actively engaging in promoting global peace. The founder of the Indonesian nation formulated noble aspirations, but their realization is not as straightforward as inscribing them on paper; instead, it is fraught with numerous challenges and obstacles since Indonesia is and continues to stand alongside other nations whose ideals and interests are to glorify their peoples. Presently, one of the nations whose behavior is beginning to resemble aggression is China, which is expanding in every sector and poses a potential threat to the nation’s ideals. Consequently, to safeguard Indonesia’s national security, a well-defined strategy is required to counter China’s threats via diplomacy, information, military, and economics and consider cross-theater risk.

Tension Between China and The U.S. in Southeast Asia: How Indonesia Reacted?

 Major Dolly J. P. Hutagalung/ACSC, Flight 13/NS-601/December 12th, 2023

As a famous African proverb says, “When the elephants fight, the grass gets trampled.” Smaller and surrounding countries become victims in international relations when considerable powers compete. This is the potential result when a nation of China's magnitude emerges as a great power in the Pacific region. Xi Jinping declared that China would be a "fully developed nation," a "global leader in innovation," and "a global leader in comprehensive national power and international influence" by the middle of the century.[i] These objectives all hinge on the availability of energy sources, particularly oil. Most of China's oil is imported and is mainly delivered through the Malacca Strait and into the South China Sea (SCS). More importantly, the SCS has a lot of untapped oil that China could use for over a decade.[ii] Nevertheless, China's desire to secure its national interests in the SCS often conflicts with the interests of regional countries, particularly regarding freedom of navigation and maintaining global stability. China must establish dominance in the SCS to face these challenges by becoming a significant regional power.

Long-Range Bomber for the U.S. Air Force Future War: Do We Need More?

 Major Dolly J. P. Hutagalung/Flight 13/AO-902 Final Essay/December 12th, 2023

Bomber aircraft have been an icon of U.S. air power since the Second World War. Throughout its evolution, military strategists attempted to use air power to play a more prominent role, not merely as a support. Ultimately, its capacity for strategic bombardment operations distinguished it from the other forces and established an independent air force.

            Even former British prime minister Stanley Baldwin once said, “The bomber will always get through.”[i] Unfortunately, the notion has lost relevance in light of the protracted history of military engagements involving the U.S. and its allies and the anticipated complexities of forthcoming conflicts. Contrarily, this is no longer the case according to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendal, who intends to acquire 100 B-21s to meet emergent challenges and believes that the function of bombers in the Air Force will become more significant.[ii] Therefore, the ratio of fighters to bombers should remain constant despite the critical nature of bomber requirements, as their procurement should not compromise budgetary resources allocated for the development of future conflicts, including limited wars, the execution of joint operations, or the attainment of political objectives.

APAKAH YANG MEMBUAT PENDIDIKAN ACSC-AIR UNIVERSITY ISTIMEWA?

 

Mayor Pnb "Dompak" Hutagalung

        "Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung." Siapa yang tidak mengenal peribahasa ini. Karena ini lah yang harus dipegang oleh seseorang yang mengunjungi daerah atau komunitas baru, segera pelajari aturan dan kebiasaan yang berlaku disana. Bahkan bagi anggota militer, ada isitilah "2 x 24 jam waktu orientasi," segera analisa dan kuasi medan untuk melaksanakan pegugasan selanjutnya. Apabila hal ini kita coba tarik jauh ke negara super power seperti Amerika, khususnya pada dimensi pendidikan  militer tingkat lanjut yang diterapkan disana. Mereka menyebutnya dengan isitlah Prefessional Military Education (PME), yang salah satunya dilaksanakan oleh lembaga pendidikan Air University milik U.S. Air Force (USAF) yang berlokasi di Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery-Alabama. 

        Tujuan utama lembaga pendidikan seperti Air University bagi militer U.S. agar menjadi tentara yang profesional dengan memiliki wawasan yang luas tentang kepemimpinan dan dunia internasional, serta pemahaman yang mendalam terhadap dunia militer khususnya operasi militer dan kampanye militer. Tidak bisa dimungkiri, kualitas dari program pendidikan ini lah yang menyebabkan U.S. menjadi kekuatan militer terbesar dan terbaik di dunia sampai dengan saat ini (paling tidak itu yang terlihat). Pada kesempatan kali ini, kita akan membahas khusus mengenai program pendidikan Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) dari kacamata seorang siswa internasional/International Officer (IO). Secara garis besar, metode pendidikan ACSC memiliki jam pelajaran kelas yang sedikit, namun mengharuskan siswa mengalokasikan jam membaca yang banyak setiap harinya. Why? mari kita kupas bersama.