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Australia Versus Indonesia

Australia faces some threats. One of these is from Indonesia, often due tothe fact that these two countries have a dispute over a maritime boundary inthe Timor Sea. Australia also has a 1,850-kilometer wide maritime identification zone that has raised some hackles among its neighbors.

The major threat to Australian interests would be maritime. Australia, as anisland nation (albeit a large one), that relies on maritime trade. This is thesame reliance faced by the United Kingdom, and Japan. The major potential opponent is Indonesia. While conflicting claims in the Timor Sea could result in a war, a flash point that is just as likely is the newly (since 2002)independent nation of East Timor, where an Australian-led peacekeeping forcestopped violence by militias supported by the Indonesian military.

The UNpeacekeeping force has been withdrawn as of May, 2005.A conflict over the maritime boundaries would involve naval and air forces. Inboth areas, Australia has a significant advantage over Indonesia in terms ofquality, and to a lesser, extent, quantity. The Australian Navy boasts fourteenfrigates (six Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates that have been modernized tocarry SM-2 and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles and eight Anzac-class frigates,which will be modernized to carry Evolved Sea Sparrows and Harpoons). Thesefrigates are all modern designs, and are manned by superbly-trained crews.

Indonesia has thirteen frigates, only six of which, the Ahmed Yani-class ships,are reasonably modern (carrying Sea Cat surface-to-air missiles and Harpoonanti-ship missiles). The other seven Indonesian frigates (three Tribal-classfrigates and four Claude Jones-class frigates), are only armed with guns, anddo not have modern fire-control systems. Indonesia also has four light frigates(armed with Exocet anti-ship missiles), and sixteen Parchim I-class corvettes.In terms of submarines, Indonesia has two Type 209-class submarines, butAustralia has six Collins-class vessels.

The Australian submariners havetrained against American carrier battle groups – and have often “torpedoed” thecarriers in exercises. The air forces are also miles apart – primarily in quality. Australia has 32F-111C/G (essentially the same as the FB-111) and 71 AF/A-18A/B Hornets in theinventory. These aircraft are backed by airborne early warning aircraft (fourto seven modified Boeing 737s carrying a phased-array radar) and tankers(modified 707s). The RAAF’s combat aircraft carry some of the latest weapons,including laser-guided bombs and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Contrast that toIndonesia’s air force, which primarily operates the older F-5 fighter and A-4attack plane.

Its modern fighter force consists of 16 F-16A, 2 Su-27SK, and 2 Su-30MKfighters, plus 16 Hawk 209 light attack jets. Again, Australia has more combataircraft, which are better. Australian pilots have much more training than theIndonesian pilots, which makes the gap in capabilities even wider inAustralia’s favor.Should a conflict over East Timor erupt, the relative armies would come intoplay. Australia will be in the position of relying on the quality of its forcesto overcome the quantitative advantage Indonesia has.

The Indonesian army(196,000) is nearly four times the size of the entire Australian Defense Force(53,000). The Australian Army uses the Leopard main battle tank, to be replacedby the M1A2 Abrams. Fighting and winning when outnumbered is something theAustralians have done in the past. In 1951 a battalion of Australian troopsassisted a Canadian infantry battalion and an American tank company indefeating a Chinese division at the Battle of Kapyong. In 1966, two Australianinfantry platoons defeated a Viet Cong battalion in the Battle of Long Tan.

Indonesia’s military has much less experience and gets very little pay, sooften Indonesian soldiers have been setting up roadblocks and shaking downdrivers. The Indonesian military’s combat experience in dealing with the Acehand East Timor (often against civilians) will not help much against thewell-trained Australian Army. Australia is more than capable of taking care ofitself in a fight with Indonesia.