Indonesian Navy and US Marines Conduct Joint Parachuting Training at Pondok Cabe Air Base
Pondok Cabe, The Gulf Observer: The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), alongside the Marine Corps Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion (Yontaifib) 1 and the United States Marines, participated in a comprehensive parachuting training exercise at the Indonesian Navy Air Base in Pondok Cabe on Monday.
The exercise, overseen by the Commander of the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion 1 (Danyontaifib), Major Marine Laili Nugroho, was conducted to enhance air capabilities and refine infiltration skills among the participating units.
“Increasing operational proficiency is our primary objective, but it’s crucial to underscore that safety and security remain paramount for every amphibious reconnaissance soldier,” emphasized Nugroho during discussions with the participants.
The combat free fall parachute training, executed at an altitude of 10 thousand feet, was organized into four flight sorties. Soldiers participating in the training were airlifted aboard an NC 212-200 Aviocar aircraft from the 1st Air Wing 600 Squadron/TNI AL Aviation Center (Puspenerbal).
Prior to the actual parachuting, participants engaged in a comprehensive simulation at the Orion Simulator Wind Tunnel Sky Diving Center Building, situated at the Indonesian Fleet Command Training Command in Jakarta.
This parachuting exercise at Pondok Cabe forms part of the ongoing 2024 Reconnaissance Exchange (Reconex) Joint Exercise between the Indonesian Navy Marine Corps and the United States Marine Forces Pacific (US Marforpac) First Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, spanning from April 25 to May 10, 2024.
Reconex Training represents a routine joint exercise conducted biennially by the Indonesian Navy Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps. Previous iterations occurred in 2021 and 2023 at the Marine Force Reconnaissance Battalion Camp in Pendleton, California, United States.
The US Marine contingent participating in this year’s Reconex Exercise originates from US Marforpac, stationed at H.M. Smith Camp in Hawaii, United States. Troops from US Marforpac actively engage in joint exercises with partner countries across the Indo-Pacific region, including Indonesia.
The 2024 Reconex Training encompasses a wide array of focus areas, including combat marksmanship, sniper range shooting, tactical combat casualty care (TCCC), joint-combined exchange training (JCET), close-quarters battle (CQB) with the new generation sUAS system, ground reconnaissance involving patrolling, mission planning, procedure briefing, military freefall jump, and full mission profile.
The training sessions for the 2024 Reconex were distributed across various locations, including the Marine Combat Training Center (Puslatpur) 6 Antralina in Sukabumi, West Java; Pondok Cabe TNI AL Air Base in Tangerang, Banten; Damar Island in the Seribu Islands, Jakarta; and the Armed Forces Commander in Jakarta, reflecting the comprehensive nature of the joint exercise.
