This is the TNI AU F-16A that shadowed a RMAF C-130 over South China Sea

Indonesia has given its side of the story into the alleged interception of a Royal Malaysian Air Force C-130s near Natuna Islands on Jun. 25.

By Dinas Penerangan TNI Angkatan Udara (Instagram.com/@tniudara) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The Jakarta Post said two F-16As (TS-1608 and TS-1610) were scrambled at 10:56 local time and approached the C-130 (call sign MEGA 207) at 11:04.

Ranai Air Base commander Col. Nurtantio Affan said the pilots, Lt. Col. Nur Alimi and First. Lt. Col. Nehemia Anang, were not able to identify the origin of the aircraft and attempt to communicate with it failed. Nurtantio added that his pilots managed to sent the Malaysian plane away from its airspace.

But a statement from Malaysia’s Defense Minister Hisham­mud­din Hussein paint a different picture of what happened. Malaysia countered that its pilots also tried to communicate with the Indonesians without success and both jets flew away after visually identifying the cargo plane.

Hisham­mud­din also pointed out that a treaty signed by both sides in 1982 allowed Malaysia to conduct military overflights in territories of Indonesia that are lying between East and West Malaysia.