Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
has formed a large number of
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
s since it was formed from provisional
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
s during the
Indonesian National Revolution
The Indonesian National Revolution, or the Indonesian War of Independence, was an armed conflict and diplomatic struggle between the Republic of Indonesia and the Dutch Empire and an internal social revolution during Aftermath of WWII, postw ...
against the Dutch colonial rule, 1945–1949. Today, the
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England.
The 2017 Global Go To Think T ...
' Military Balance 2007 lists the Army with 2 brigades (6 battalions) plus 60 other battalions in the KODAMs, or Military Regional Commands, and nine battalions in
KOSTRAD
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
, the Army Strategic Reserve Command.IISS Military Balance 2007, Routledge for the IISS, London, p.352 There are also around nine airborne battalions.
Indonesian military units are commonly referred to by compound words. Infantry battalions are routinely called as ''Yonif''s which is a
portmanteau
A portmanteau word, or portmanteau (, ) is a blend of wordsyon infanteri" ('infantry battalion'). They are also commonly referred to by their battalion nicknames, for example: 511th Infantry Battalion - ''"Dibyatama Yudha"''.
Organization
The
Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
Branch is the principal and major unit of the Indonesian army
combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
element. The Infantry element is the largest and main combat troops within the Indonesian army.
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
and
Kopassus
The Kopassus ( id, Komando Pasukan Khusus, Special Forces Command) is an Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sa ...
are all part of this branch although it also consists of non-infantry units internally. In Indonesia, there are more than 100 Infantry
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
s spread throughout the country.
Green beret
The green beret was the official headdress of the British Commandos of the Second World War. It is still worn by members of the Royal Marines after passing the Commando Course, and personnel from other units of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF wh ...
s are worn by Indonesian Army infantrymen. The Infantry Branch of the Indonesian Army are under the auspices of the Infantry Branch Centre ("Pussenif") which is under the command of a
Lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
. The Infantry branch of the Indonesian Army consists of huge numbers of units whereas the
International Institute for Strategic Studies
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is a British research institute or think tank in the area of international affairs. Since 1997, its headquarters have been Arundel House in London, England.
The 2017 Global Go To Think T ...
' Military Balance 2007 lists the Army with 2 brigades, (6 battalions), plus 60 other battalions in each
Military district
Military districts (also called military regions) are formations of a state's armed forces (often of the Army) which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and ...
s ("Kodam") and nine battalions in
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
.
The elite infantry
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
s of the Indonesian Army are called "Raider Battalions" (raised on 2003) which are specially trained in
Raid
Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to:
Attack
* Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground
* Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business
* Panty raid, a prankish raid by male college ...
and
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind e ...
operations (including
counter-terrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...
Close combat
Close combat means a violent physical confrontation between two or more opponents at short range.''MCRP 3-02B: Close Combat'', Washington, D.C.: Department Of The Navy, Headquarters United States Marine Corps, 12 February 1999Matthews, Phil, CQB ...
operations). By strength and capabilities, 1 battalion of Raider infantry is equal to 3 regular infantry battalions combined. There are currently about 49 raider battalions in the Indonesian Army Infantry branch, with the strength of 650 to 800 men per-battalion. It is larger compared to regular infantry battalions which only consists about 450 to 570 infantrymen. Even as the Chief of Staff of the Army (Kasad) is planning in the future to qualify all Infantry battalions (except mechanized) as "Raider"-ready, there are now mechanized battalions which are "Raider"-qualified in addition to their mechanized role. Infantry battalions in the Indonesian Army originates from different combat organisations or corps, there are several infantry battalions part of
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
and some are part of the territorial military commands (Kodams), the same case also falls to Raider Infantry battalions. Currently, there are now 3
Airborne
Airborne or Airborn may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis
* ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film
* ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...
infantry brigades in the Indonesian Army which are all "
Raider
Raider(s) may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Paul Revere & the Raiders, an American rock band
* "Raider", a track from the 1969 album '' Farewell Aldebaran'', by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester
* "Raiders", a track from the 1987 album '' Young a ...
" qualified (called as: Para-raider), and are all part of the
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
. The Infantry beret colors of the Indonesian army are as shown below:
* Regular Infantry soldiers wear: Light Green Beret with crossed-rifle insignia
*
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
infantrymen wear: Dark Green Beret with Kostrad emblem, (Airborne units are added a paratrooper wing insignia on the beret)
*
Raider
Raider(s) may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Paul Revere & the Raiders, an American rock band
* "Raider", a track from the 1969 album '' Farewell Aldebaran'', by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester
* "Raiders", a track from the 1987 album '' Young a ...
infantrymen wear: Dark Green beret with
bayonet
A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...
emblem
*
Mechanized Infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force).
As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
men wear: Dark Green beret with Mechanized Infantry emblem
There are today 5 types of Infantry battalions in the Indonesian Army, which are:
#
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...
-Raider Infantry Battalion (abbreviated "Yonif Para Raider"): are
Airborne
Airborne or Airborn may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis
* ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film
* ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...
infantry battalions part of
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
which are able in
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind e ...
and
Raid
Raid, RAID or Raids may refer to:
Attack
* Raid (military), a sudden attack behind the enemy's lines without the intention of holding ground
* Corporate raid, a type of hostile takeover in business
* Panty raid, a prankish raid by male college ...
operations.
# Mechanized-Raider Infantry Battalion (abbreviated "Yonif Mekanis Raider"): are Raider infantry battalions which are Mechanized that are special operations-capaable which also can carry out
urban warfare
Urban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both the operational and the tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the presence of civilians and t ...
and ground mechanized-infantry operations.
#
Raider
Raider(s) may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Paul Revere & the Raiders, an American rock band
* "Raider", a track from the 1969 album '' Farewell Aldebaran'', by Judy Henske and Jerry Yester
* "Raiders", a track from the 1987 album '' Young a ...
Infantry Battalion (abbreviated "Yonif Raider"): are infantry battalions which are basically trained for Raid warfare and
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind e ...
operations.
#
Mechanized Infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force).
As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
Battalion (abbreviated "Yonif Mekanis"): are mobilized infantry battalions, equipped with APCs and
IFV
An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct-fire support. The 1990 Treaty on Conventional Armed For ...
s.
# Infantry Battalion (abbreviated "Yonif"): are
light Infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
battalions.
All infantrymen of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Army included, have capabilities in
Jungle warfare
Jungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain.
It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for bo ...
.
Para-Raider infantry battalions
Raider infantry battalions
In the
Indonesian Army
The Indonesian Army ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD), ) is the land branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It has an estimated strength of 300,000 active personnel. The history of the Indonesian Army has its ...
, the ''Raider'' Infantry (In Indonesia known as ''Yonif Raider'') is a type of specialized-infantry above of regular infantry which are trained to conduct Raids, military extraction (hostage rescue),
counter-terrorist
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...
,
airborne
Airborne or Airborn may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis
* ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film
* ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...
Air assault
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind e ...
operations. It also is trained to conduct
urban
Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to:
* Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas
* Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities
Urban may also refer to:
General
* Urban (name), a list of people ...
and
jungle warfare
Jungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain.
It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for bo ...
. The first ten battalions of the raider infantry which were inaugurated on December 22, 2003, were formed by transforming 8 battalions of territorial commands and 2
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
battalions. As a counterweight force, the strength of a Raider Infantry Battalion (''Yonif Raider'') is equivalent to three times the strength of an ordinary/regular infantry battalion (Yonif) in the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
. This infantry unit is back grounded with "Raid" battle tactics known as "Depredation".
Each Raider battalion consists of approximately 810 personnel of all ranks, larger than the normal battalions of around 570 infantrymen. These personnel were given special education and training for six months for modern warfare, guerrilla and anti-guerrilla warfare, and protracted warfare tactics and strategies. Each of these battalions is trained to have triple combat capabilities of ordinary infantry battalions (Yonifs). Raider infantrymen are trained to perform ambushes, airborne and air assault operations, such as foray from
helicopters
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...
and transport aircraft, while Raider infantrymen in the mechanized battalions are also trained in mechanized and urban warfare operations. 50 personnel each in a Raider battalion are
Counter-terrorism
Counterterrorism (also spelled counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, incorporates the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or el ...
qualified with other additional specialized skills. The
Kopassus
The Kopassus ( id, Komando Pasukan Khusus, Special Forces Command) is an Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) special forces group that conducts special operations missions for the Indonesian government, such as direct action, unconventional warfare, sa ...
Special Forces Education and Training Center ("Pusdikpassus") located in Batujajar,
West Java
West Java ( id, Jawa Barat, su, ᮏᮝ ᮊᮥᮜᮧᮔ᮪, romanized ''Jawa Kulon'') is a province of Indonesia on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten ...
is where Raider infantrymen get their advance special operations training before being stationed to their respective Raider battalions. Aside from the Raider battalions, the Indonesian Army also fosters "
Para
Para, or PARA, may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange
* Para Group, the former name of CT Corp
* Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer
* Para USA, formerly ...
-Raider" battalions which are Raider infantry units qualified as
Airborne
Airborne or Airborn may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis
* ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film
* ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...
which all are within the
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
corps. There are also Raider infantry battalions which are Mechanised (''Mekanis Raider'') in the Army, the units are the 411th, 412th, and 413th Mechanized-Raider Infantry Battalions which are part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Kostrad Infantry Division and the 113th Raider Infantry Battalion (Mechanized) from the 25th Infantry Brigade,
Kodam Iskandar Muda
Iskandar Muda Military Region Command ( id, Komando Daerah Militer Iskandar Muda / Kodam Iskandar Muda) is a military territorial command (military district) of the Indonesian Army. It has been in active service as the local division for Aceh P ...
.
Other infantry battalions
Regular infantry battalions
Regular infantry battalions below are categorized as
Light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force).
As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
battalions (including Raider battalions)
* Part of the 1st Capital City Defense Mechanized Infantry Brigade,
Kodam Jaya
The Jakarta Raya Military Regional Command ( id, Komando Daerah Militer Jayakarta; abbreviated ) is the military district of the Indonesian Army which oversees the Greater Jakarta area. It is tasked for territorial army duties, specifically for ...
(Brigade Infanteri 1 Pengaman Ibu Kota/''"Jaya Sakti"'')
# 201st Mechanized Infantry Battalion
# 202nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion
# 203rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion
* Part of the 6th Mechanized Raider Infantry Brigade,
Kostrad
The Army Strategic Reserves Command ( id, Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated ) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operati ...
Kodam V/Brawijaya
Kodam V/Brawijaya (V ''Military Regional Command/Brawijaya'') ( id, Komando Dhaérah Militer V/Brawijaya) is a military region command of the Indonesian Army, as the 5th (Roman numeral "V") Kodam, which oversees the entire East Java Province. ...
Kodam XII/Tanjungpura
Kodam XII/Tanjungpura (XII ''Military Regional Command/Tanjungpura''), is an Indonesian Army Regional Military Command that covers West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan province. Kodam Tanjungpura also oversees the defense of Indonesian border ...
military district command
# 643rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion.
* Part of
Kodam IX/Udayana
Kodam IX/Udayana (IX ''Military Regional Command/Udayana'') is a military area command of the Indonesian Army which is responsible for the Lesser Sunda Islands. It was established as part of the 1985 reorganisation of the Indonesian National Armed ...
military district command
# 741st Mechanized Infantry Battalion
* Part of
Kodam IV/Diponegoro
KODAM IV/Diponegoro or IV ''Military Regional Command/Diponegoro'' ( id, Komando Daerah Militer IV/Diponegoro) is a military area command (effectively a military district) of the Indonesian Army. It covers the provinces of Central Java and Spe ...
military district command
# 403rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion
* Part of 091/Aji Surya Natakusuma Military Area command
# 611th Mechanized Infantry Battalion
* Part of 25th Infantry Brigade,
Kodam Iskandar Muda
Iskandar Muda Military Region Command ( id, Komando Daerah Militer Iskandar Muda / Kodam Iskandar Muda) is a military territorial command (military district) of the Indonesian Army. It has been in active service as the local division for Aceh P ...
1st Kostrad Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division (Indonesian: ''Divisi Infanteri 1 Kostrad'') abbreviated "Divif 1/Kostrad", is an army strategic command division of the Indonesian Army. The divisional commander is a two-star major general.Tim Huxley, 'Indonesia's armed ...