The Korpasgat () is the air force infantry and special forces corps of the Indonesian Air Force. The corps is also known as the Orange Berets ( in Indonesian) from the colour of their service headgear. Korpasgat is trained to seize and defend airfields from enemy forces known as (Frontline Air Base Establishment and Management Operation), airborne operations, and other specific military operations within the scope of the Indonesian Air Force.
Korpasgat is tasked with carrying out the objectives and defense of the strategic objects of the Air Force, air defense, special operations and other typical military operations under the policies of the commander of the National Armed Forces. Korpasgat has air-oriented combat abilities, such as combat-control team, airfield control and defense, combat search and rescue, jumpmaster, airborne, ground-forward air control and high-altitude military parachuting. They also can operate as Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) in certain situations.
Korpasgat has a special unit tasked for conducting special operations such as responding to aircraft hijackings and other specific missions tasked to the corps, the unit is known as the Bravo Detachment 90 (Satbravo 90).
History The history of Korpasgat is almost as old as the Republic of Indonesia itself. On 12 February 1946 the first parachute jump of the nascent Indonesian National Armed Forces was performed at the Maguwo Air Force Base in Yogyakarta by three people who jumped in the presence of the commander of the Armed Forces Sudirman and the first chief of staff of the Air Force, Air Commodore Suryadi Suryadarma: Amir Hamzah, Iswahyudi and Pungut, all three jumped from a converted Japanese transport aircraft. On 8 March 1947, with President Sukarno, Vice President Mohammad Hatta and defense officials in attendance, the first free fall jump was executed by Flight Lieutenants Sudyono and Soekotjo at the same airfield. These jumps by personnel of the then Pasukan Pertahanan Pangkalan (PPP) (Air Field Defence Troops) would become the precursor for their baptism of fire. The PPP, raised in October 1945, months before the formal founding of the Air Force on 9 April 1946, was an active part in the defense of Republic-held air force bases.
First airborne operations
The then republican Governor of Kalimantan Ir. Prince Muhammad Noor made a request to the Indonesian Air Force to send paratroopers to Kalimantan to form and organize pro-Republic guerrilla organizations to assist in the revolution in Borneo, opening a parent radio station to allow connections between Yogyakarta and Borneo rebels, and selecting more drop zones for future operations. At the initiative of the chief of staff of the Air Force, 12 indigenous sons of Kalimantan and two regular Air Force personnel were chosen.Sutrisno. "Marsekal TNI Suryadi Suryadarma" Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaaan, Jakarta, 1985. On 17 October 1947, thirteen airmen were successfully deployed in Sambi, West Kotawaringin, Central Kalimantan. They were Hari Hadi Sumantri (Semarang Radio Air Force mechanic), FM Soejoto (an Air Force radio interpreter from Ponorogo), Iskandar (troop leader), Ahmad Kosasih, Bachri, J. Bitak, C. Williem, Imanuel, Amirudin, Ali Akbar, M Dahlan, JH. Darius, and Marawi. They were deployed from the C-47 Dakota RI-002 aircraft flown by an American named Bob Freeberg who also owned the aircraft, co-pilot Warrant Officer Suhodo, and the jumpmaster, Pilot Officer Amir Hamzah. Acting as the pointer to the parapet was Major Tjilik Riwut who was a native son of Borneo. This was the first airborne operation in Indonesian history.
This operation was later designated as the anniversary of the Komando Pasukan Gerak Cepat (Rapid Response Troop Commandos).Sesuai keputusan MEN/PANGAU No.54 Tahun 1967, tanggal 12 Oktober 1967. This makes this organization the oldest active special forces unit in Indonesia and within all of Southeast Asia, and the first airborne and air force infantry unit to be founded in the region. (The Philippine 1st Scout Ranger Regiment, the 2nd oldest, was established two years later in 1949.)
Air Base Defense Troops (ABDT) By 1950 the Jakarta-based PPP was still known as the "Air Base Defense Troops (ABDT)", but now had paratrooper squadrons within its ranks. Troops were divided into eight companies/squadrons and led by Captain (later Major) RHA Wiriadinata with his deputy 1st Lieutenant R Soeprantijo. Then in the mid-1950s, the Inspectorate of Air Base Defense Forces (IPP) was based in Sabang, Jakarta, which in April 1952 was transferred to Cililitan Air Base, East Jakarta. An additional service, the PSU ('Penangkis Serangan Udara, Air Defense Component) was later added to provide an air defense capability. The Parachute School was also opened to train future Air Force paratroopers at the Andir Air Force Base in Bandung, West Java, as a continuation of the Para School embryo in Maguwo. Its alumni, both officers and airmen, later formed the basis for the Kompi-kompi Pasukan Gerak Tjepat-PGT (Quick Reaction Troop Companies) which were formed in February 1952, with Captain Wiriadinata as the commanding officer and concurrently as Commander of Andir Air Force Base in Bandung. By 1958 these consisted of 11 Independent Airborne Companies, 8 Air Base Defense companies and 1 Air Defense Artillery Battery.
PGT Regimental Combat Team (RTP-PGT) Subsequently, in the 1960s, PGT (Pasukan Gerak Tjepat (old spelling, Pasukan Gerak Cepat in the Indonesian Spelling System): Quick Reaction Troops) was also assigned to operations in West Irian (Papua) under the command of the Air Force. The PGT Regimental Combat Team (RTP PGT) was based in Bandung with Captain (U) Sugiri Sukani as commander. Air Commodore RHA Wiriadinata was the first PGT commander (1952) which brought much progress to paratroopers in Indonesia, especially in the Air Force. The concept of PGT since its inception was focused on the ability of Commando and Para combined and thus a unification of the parachute companies of the air force bases into battalions that would be deployed into battle for operations at home and abroad.
The raising of the PGT RCT was in response to the Army's formation of the modern day Kopassus (then the Para-Commando Regiment, RPKAD), as well as in response to the twin rebellions of the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia and Permesta (1957-1961).
Air Force Bases Defense Command (KOPPAU)
On 15 October 1962, based on the a decree of the CSAF, the Air Force Bases Defense Command (KOPPAU, Komando Pertahanan Pangkalan Angkatan Udara) was established. KOPPAU consist of the Command HQ and HQ Company in Bandung, PPP (Air Base Defence Forces) Regiment in Jakarta and PGT Regiment in Bandung. The PPP Regiment was composed of the regimental headquarters and five Base Defense Battalions based in Jakarta, Banjarmasin, Makassar, Biak and Palembang (then moved to Medan). The PGT regiment consisted of three battalions,: the 1st Battalion PGT (3rd Honor Guard (Air Force) Battalion, Cakrabhirawa Regiment) based in Bogor, 2nd Battalion PGT in Jakarta and 3rd Battalion PGT in Bandung, together with the regimental headquarters based in Jakarta. The battalions were subdivided into the battalion HQ company and 3–5 parachute infantry companies, base defense companies or air defense artillery batteries, depending on specialty, the 1st battalion of the PGT, which was assigned as public duties battalion, was assigned six guard of honour companies and the battalion HQ company.
It was during that period that the Air Force, through the KOPPAU and the Indonesian National Air Defense Forces Command, acquired a surface to air missile defense capability, a first in Southeast Asia, via the S-75 Dvina SAM system imported from the Soviet Union, leading to the formation of the 100th Medium/Long Distance Missile Regiment/Wing.
The future chief of staff of the Air Force, then Air Commodore Omar Dani, was made commandant of the KOPPAU.
Kopasgat KOPPAU was, as a result of recommendations given during a Ministry of Defense conference in Bandung dated 11–16 April 1966, then transformed to KOPASGAT (Komando Pasukan Gerak Cepat) with the strength of three regiments each based in Bandung, Jakarta, and Surabaya, under its new commander Air Commodore Saleh Basarah. Each of the regiments were organized into a HQ unit and 3–5 groups/battalions, each divided into 3–6 companies/squadrons/batteries (the Bandung wing had 2 battalions). The 100th Wing remained under its operational supervision. Furthermore, based on the Air Force chief of Staff Decision No. 57 on 1 July 1970, the term "Regiment" was changed into "Wing" for distinguishing their unit names from the Indonesian Army (as part of a general reorganization of the armed forces under the Suharto administration). Kopasgat was then famous for its Leopard camouflage pattern uniform which was worn during Operation Seroja, led by then commander Air Commodore R. Suprantijo, and its orange berets, a singularity within the National Armed Forces.
Puspaskhasau Puspaskhasau (Pusat Pasukan Khas Angkatan Udara meaning "Air Force Special Forces Command") later replaced the name Kopasgat. It was based on the dynamics of organizational improvement and consolidation of TNI units, then based on Air Force Chief of staff Decision No. Kep / 22 / III / 1985 dated 11 March 1985. Air Commodore LE Siagian was the first commander of the rebadged unit.
Korpaskhasau Along with the improvements of the TNI and Air Force organization, on 17 July 1997 according to the Decree no. SKEP / 09 / VII / 1997 of the Commander of the National Armed Forces the status of Paskhas was elevated from Central Executive Agency status to that of a Principal Combatant Command (Kotamabin) and was therefore renamed as the Korps Pasukan Khas Angkatan Udara/ KORPASKHASAU" which is simply called as Korps Paskhas or just PASKHAS. It was in time for the 50th anniversary of the first airborne jumps in Kalimantan. Air Commodore Budhy Santoso was commandant when the changes were made.
In 2011, to reflect the importance of the Paskhas to the Air Force, the rank of the commanding general was changed into that of an Air Vice Marshal, the commanding general then being AVM Amarullah who was appointed that year replacing Air Commodore Harry Budiono.
Back to Kopasgat–Korpasgat On 26 January 2022, as part of the celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of its formation, the unit name was officially reverted to Kopasgat through Commander of the Armed Forces Decision No. Kep/66/I/2022. Air Vice Marshal Eris Widodo, who had been appointed Commandant General of Korpaskhasau in 2018, was the commander at the time.
On 10 August 2025, the rank of its commanding officer was raised, with the corps being led by an Air Marshal. The commander's title was also changed from to , and the unit name was changed from Kopasgat to Korpasgat.
Organization According to Presidential Regulation No. 84/2025 on the Organization of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, the organizational structure of Korpasgat comprises the following components:
Leadership element Korpasgat is headed by a Commander (Panglima Korpasgat), a position held by a 3-star Air Marshal. The Commander reports to the Air Force Chief of Staff but operationally answers to the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.
Leadership support element
Korpasgat Chief of Staff (), a position held by a 2-star Air Force Air Vice Marshal; Korpasgat Inspector (), a position held by a 1-star Air Force Air Commodore; Advisory staffs to Korpasgat Commander (), of which the coordinator is a position held by a 1-star Air Force Air Comoodore; Assistants to Korpasgat Commander, which consist of following positions: Assistant for Intelligence (); Assistant for Operations (); Assistant for Personnel (); Assistant for Logistics (); Assistant for Communication and Electronics (); Assistant for Territorial Affairs ();