The Indonesian Air Force has successfully tested the domestically produced BNT-250 bomb, with a view to reducing reliance on US-made munitions, the Jakarta Post newspaper reported on Thursday.
Pilots from the 3rd Air Squadron launched two F-16 AM fighter jets carrying a total of 12 BNT-250 bombs on November 18, the report said. Each aircraft carried out eight bombings.
Airbase commander Muchtadi Anjar Legowo said that the tests were designed to gather technical data and evaluate the bomb’s operational performance.
“The test was carried out to measure the function, accuracy and integration of the BNT-250 bomb on the F-16 Fighting Falcon of 3rd Air Squadron,” Legowo was quoted by Jakarta Post as saying.
Previously, Indonesian pilots have used US-made Mark 82 bombs for aerial exercises. Indonesia started developing the BNT-250 in 2022, with initial prototype trials conducted in March and full operational testing completed this month. Several ASEAN countries have already shown interest in the new bomb, according to the report.
The BNT-250, weighing 250 kilograms (551 pounds), is an original Indonesian NATO-standard combat bomb, co-produced by private defense firm PT Sari Bahari in Malang, East Java, and state-owned explosives manufacturer PT Dahana.
Sari Bahari has also developed several “dumb” bombs compatible with both Russian and NATO aircraft, including models P-100, P-250, P-500, and P-100M for Russian planes, and BNL-125, BNL-250, BNM-250, and BNT-250 for NATO aircraft, the Jakarta Post reported.
