On the last day of 2019, Indonesia unveiled a new multi-role, attack-capable, MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) drone. The UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) is called the Elang Hitam (‘Black Eagle’). It was developed by a consortium of Indonesian organizations, including their Air Force, National Institute of Air and Space, and nationally-owned electronics company PTDI.
The virtual copy of the Chinese communist-made CH-4 ‘Rainbow’ UAV (itself a virtual copy of the US’ MQ-9 Reaper) was unveiled on the same day Iran announced its copy of the US’ MQ-1 Predator, dubbed Shahed-129 ‘Eyewitness’.
The CH-4B is the largest of the ‘Rainbow’ series of fixed wing UAVs, with a wingspan of 18 m or 59 ft (the Indonesian ‘Black Eagle’ has a wingspan of 16 m or 52.4 ft). It has six ‘hard-points’ for external weapons, and a payload of 250-345 kg (551-760 lb). Its ceiling (maximum altitude) is 5,000 m (16,400 ft), its range is 5,000km (3106 mi/2699 nmi), and its endurance is 30-40 hrs (depending on payload). Its top speed is 235 kph (146 mph/127 kt). It has been sold to Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.
The Black Eagle payload is advertised as 300kg (661 lb). Its endurance is 30 hrs, and its top speed is 235 kph (146 mph/127 kt). There are few other specifications available. While a basic copy of the CH-4 (and thus the MQ-9), Indonesia has worked to develop its own version, but still relies heavily on foreign parts and systems (for example, it uses Australian Rotax motors and a flight-control system built in Spain).
The director of the PTDI (Elfien Goentoro) said the Black Eagle was needed to maintain the sovereignty of the Unitary Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). He said the need for surveillance continues to grow along with the increasing threat to border areas, both the threat of terrorism, smuggling, piracy, and theft of natural resources such as illegal logging and illegal fishing.
“This unmanned aircraft will start flying next year. This is only the first prototype, there will be an advanced prototype,” Elfien said in the PTDI Region, on 30 January, 2019. There will be two versions of the multi-role UAV; a reconnaissance version and an attack version.
The ‘new’ UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) is billed as an ‘ingenious design’ in many reports, but no one elucidates on what is ingenious about the design, provides specifications better than either the CH-4 or the MQ-9, or gives any evidence of notable design improvements or innovations.
Why would Indonesia need such an aircraft (or fleet of aircraft)?
It has been beset by terrorism, not only between Islamic terrorists and Christians/Hindus, but also between Islamic traditionalists and reform groups.
The country (largest in South-East Asia) has the world’s largest Muslim population.
They have faced a variety of natural disasters, and the destruction of their formerly massive natural resources. They ostensibly have no direct enemies (as far as countries or neighbors go); their primary conflict seems to lie within. However, they are involved in a number of current disputes with other countries. Per Wikipedia, these disputes are;
- Ambalat Block in dispute with Malaysia (ongoing, overlapping EEZ line drawn by both countries)
- Ashmore and Cartier Islands in dispute with Australia (ongoing, the islands known by Indonesians as Pulau Pasir)
- Fatu Sinai Island (Pulau Batek) formerly disputed with East Timor (settled, East Timor ceded the island to Indonesia in August 2004)
- Miangas (Las Palmas) formerly disputed with Philippine Islands (settled, see Island of Palmas Case)
- Northern waters off Natuna Islands in dispute with China and Taiwan (ongoing; overlapping with Chinese Nine-Dash Line claim)
- Sipadan and Ligitan Islands formerly disputed with Malaysia (settled, part of Malaysia’s territory per International Court of Justice‘s decision in 2002)
The threat of various terrorist groups (internal and external), as well as the considerable and current threat of pirates operating near the major shipping routes through the Straits of Malacca, constitute a clear danger to the country’s peace and stability.
In Indonesia, enemies are numerous and widespread, despite the government’s policy of generally friendly relations and non-alignment. There are a number of things a surveillance UAV could be tasked to look at, and a number of things an attack UAV could be tasked to shoot at.
How this seemingly capable aircraft will be deployed and used remains to be seen. There are a number of sensor applications for scientific uses, but the initial effort seems to be concentrated on surveillance and attack capabilities.
Stay tuned for more information, as the story develops…
A Brave New Drone World 