Indonesia has deployed the KHAN short-range ballistic missile system in East Kalimantan, marking a first for Southeast Asia.
The missile, developed by Turkish arms manufacturer Roketsan, was first sighted at the Raipur A Yonarmed 18/Buritkang Command Headquarters in Tenggarong, East Kalimantan, on Friday, the 1st of August.
Roketsan’s Deputy General Manager, Murat Kurtulus, confirmed that Indonesia placed its order for the KHAN system in 2022, making it the first nation outside Turkey to acquire the weapon.
No other Southeast Asian country currently possesses a modern ballistic missile capability. With Indonesia’s rapid and high-precision strike potential, analysts expect significant shifts in the region’s defence landscape. Experts have described this as a strategic move that could substantially alter the balance of power in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, the decision to station the missiles in East Kalimantan is believed to be linked to the relocation of the national capital from Jakarta to Nusantara Capital City (Ibu Kota Nusantara), as well as to heightened tensions over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Geographically, East Kalimantan is considered relatively secure from direct attack. Its strategic position, overlooking major northern shipping lanes, makes it an ideal location for missile deployment to protect both the country and its capital. According to the Defence Security Asia website, Indonesia’s KHAN missiles have a range of up to 280 kilometres, allowing strikes into disputed maritime zones. Observers view the acquisition as a sign of Indonesia shifting from a purely defensive posture to a more proactive deterrence strategy.
The Head of the Army Information Service, Brigadier General Wahyu Yudhayana, noted that the missiles are part of the first batch purchased by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, and have not yet been formally handed over to the Indonesian Army.
“I have had detailed discussions with the Commander of the Armed Forces Weapons Centre. He outlined plans for a second batch, after which the handover to the Indonesian Army will take place,” Yudhayana said at Army Information Service Headquarters in Jakarta on Monday, the 11th of August.
He also added, “It is still under the Ministry of Defence’s jurisdiction, as the system has not been officially transferred to the Army.”