Russia's Bid for Strategic Airbase in Indonesia Raises Security Concerns for Australia
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In a development that highlights growing geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, reports have emerged that Russia formally approached Indonesia with a request to host its long-range jets in Indonesia's easternmost province. According to intelligence from Jane's, a reputable defense publication, Russian officials made this approach during a February visit by former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, though Indonesian officials have since denied such an arrangement will proceed.
The Key Details:
The proposed base would be located in Indonesia's Papua province, approximately 1,300 kilometers from Darwin, Australia
Russian long-range aircraft have operational ranges exceeding 10,000 kilometers, allowing potential surveillance of Australian and U.S. military activities
This isn't unprecedented - Russian long-range bombers previously used the same airbase in 2017 for reconnaissance flights
Indonesia's government has assured Australia that Russian aircraft will not be based in their territory
The request comes amid strengthening defense ties between Moscow and Jakarta
In an interview with ABC News Australia, Dr. Matthew Sussex, Associate Professor in Strategic and Defence Studies at the Australian National University (ANU), provided expert analysis on the situation.
"This is in the Indonesian province of Papua on an island, which is about 1,300 kilometres from Darwin," Dr. Sussex explained. "Russian long-range aviation can go for over 10,000 kilometres. And strategically, it will be quite significant because it would allow the Russians to perform ISR, which is intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance over Australian military exercises that we hold often in the north."
Dr. Sussex elaborated on the potential risks: "It would certainly be able to get intelligence on our RAAF bases, including Tyndall, in the Northern Territory. And more than that, it would give the Russians the ability to effectively spy on American military activities coming out of Guam and then also to the west into the Indian Ocean."
Regarding the credibility of the report, Dr. Sussex noted that Jane's "tends to have a fairly good track record" and that it "cited two people separately connected to the Indonesian government to say that this approach was made."
The timing of this request appears strategic, according to Dr. Sussex. "Prabowo, when he was defence minister, went to Moscow, this was last year in July, and talked about Russia as a great friend," he stated. "Then, upon taking office, the Indonesians and the Russians had joint naval exercises."
Why It Matters:
This strategic maneuver represents part of Russia's broader efforts to expand its military footprint in Southeast Asia, particularly significant with what Dr. Sussex describes as "a more Moscow friendly government in the form of Prabowo's presidency in Indonesia." The potential intelligence gathering capabilities would extend beyond Australia to American military activities in Guam and the Indian Ocean. "This is something that we really don't want in our region, particularly given the closeness of ties between Russia and China, the worry that the intelligence that Russian planes might get could be shared with Beijing as well," Dr. Sussex warned in his ABC News interview.
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