"The sky is a vast place but there's no room for error" - Classical aviation safety doctrine

This is the orchestral version of the Indonesian Air Force March.

---

Ujung Pandaran beach is one of the well-known tourist magnets in the state; the term itself was still new as the country's post Civil War reorganization brought the previously somewhat taboo concept of Parliamentary Federalism to the country.

It's weekend, as the result, the visitors of this pristine and quiet beach increased almost tenfold. Young and old intermingled. For the locals, it's the increased income day.

Two young college-aged men from Nusantara, the new capital of Indonesia since 2025 located in neighboring East Kalimantan, were playing volleyball with two local fishermen.

"Ah!" one of the young man, named Welly exclaimed after his failure to block a smash from the local fishermen's team.

"12-12" judged the referee, an off-duty police officer. The game continues, but unknown to the visitors of the beach, a surprise was about to come.

"What is that?" asked a woman to her husband while holding their two children. Her ear caught a low whine behind her.

"Seems like a plane, dear"

"It's getting louder."

The family turned out to be right as a gust of heavy wind swept up the entire area. Surprise.

"Shit!" Welly swore upon he nearly lost his balance.

"Look!" said Welly's volleyball partner, Hendry, pointed skyward. Both men saw two fast-moving, trapezoidal-shaped fighter jets passing the coast towards the Java Sea followed by multiple small craft accompanying the two bigger planes.

"Sukhois, people" said one of the fishermen.

"Yeah!!" said a nearby man recording the one-time event.

...

I barely noticed the commotion my jet caused on the ground when it passed the Ujung Pandaran beach. My head's focus only on my Helmet Mounted Display and the accompanying drones.

The jet that I am flying is one of the most sophisticated piece of Russian engineering, the Sukhoi Su-65. Basically a tailess Su-57 with refined stealth, it's called the 5,5th Generation Fighter Jet by many experts. Bearing the NATO code Flywheel, it came with an integral package of flying wing type loyal wingman drone S-80 Gvardiya, Guard in Russian.

I refocused myself on the cockpit as one drone transmitted targets ahead, indicating multiple bandits approaching the coast heading towards our capital, within 120 miles from the south.

Using voice command, I keyed the mike and let my wingman know about the development.

"Raden, this is Wise, we have multiple manned and unmanned bandits heading towards Palangkaraya 120 miles from the south, Good for the -87Ms (AA-16 Amethyst), Cover me while I engage the enemy."

My wingman Evelyn acknowledged, and I gave her a hand signal to break off my view. After few seconds, I got the solid radar lock on a target, identified as "F-35 Lightning II" the backbone of American air power.

Anyway, let's talk about the current situation.

The close of Indonesian Civil War had seen the Middle East unified into a monstrous Islamic state keen for global domination, the United Caliphate Confederation, or UCC in short. Basically, if ISIS was brutal enough in governing, the "Five Pillar" group behind this project were five times more, and they won't quit easily even after we reclaimed our country as a whole. The Caliph explicitly warned us of a "jihad that never been seen before" which is tantamount to a threat of war.

To my personal dismay, there were still a lot of our countrymen who believed that those people will leave us alone and focus on what should be done; which is to destroy the so called "illegitimate" state of Israel. Nevertheless American orbital strikes stopped them, and soon they occupied part of Central Asia and pretty soon, our commanders said, their next target to be India. If that happens, we will be legally at war.

My display showed the Gvardiya drones as engaged with the escorting drones of the main target, which gave me the opportunity to take the shot, "Emerald 3-1, Fox three!"

The main objectives were transport aircraft and it's escort fighters as the last ring of defense; the drones were meant to be the first ring.

But no explosion registered, instead, a message confirmed the "hit".

"Umpire counts two targets splashed by Emerald 3-1" said the airborne controller aboard a brand-new Boeing 797 AEW, designated E-15 Watchman by the US, which proceeded to report "kills" scored by other pilots.

To tell the truth, it was a simulated exercise. We are practicing against a hypothetical airborne operation with Indonesian Airbus A400Ms pretended to be the Il-476 of the United Caliphate Air Force, while it's fighter escort either IF-21C Elang Muda (Young Hawk) - a translation to Indonesian for Korean Boramae, or it's Navy variant IF-34 Ikan Terbang (Flying Fish), and the drones were KAI KMQ-101, Korean equivalent to the Gvardiya and was similar in design.

The latter two usually pretended to be Chinese-made J-31/FC-31 Firehound, one of the fifth-generation fighters confirmed to be operated and manufactured by the Caliphate, initially license-built by Pakistan, which subsequently joined the confederation.

The fighters carried missiles, but all of it was inert. The increased weight was used for sake of more realism in flying characteristics, while the kills were simulated. Next on the kill list were the remaining escort fighters, two Su-30SMs pretended to be Caliphate Flankers.

"Umpire, this is Emerald 3-1 engaging enemy escort" I called the shot again. Both me and Evelyn regrouped and positioned ourselves to engage.

"Fox two!" Evelyn fired a simulated R-81 (NATO Code: AA-15 Asp) agile short-range AAM which was initially absorbed by one of the smaller drones, her second shot downed an unsuspecting Flanker, in simulation.

"Bear 3-1, you have been killed, RTB" said another E-15 used in the exercise as opposition force.

"Emerald 3-3, you are dead, return to base" called Umpire.

The pilot with the said callsign was 1st Lt. Andik "Badak" Purnomo, who was hit by one of the drones.

His wingman, 2nd Lt. Pandu "Cosmo" Tandoko, "downed" the last Su-30 in retaliation.

The exercise continued. "Heads up everyone; we have multiple group contacts on the same vector as the transport, 2-2-0, coming in hot. IDed as J-31 and supporting drones".

"Emerald 3 to all Emeralds; engage all bandits at will, engage laser!" I commanded.

"Roger!"

A "J-31" then spiked me, his weapon ready to fire.

I fired up the countermeasures and turned left, popping imagined chaffs on the way to confuse oncoming missiles.

Then I looked above for any specks. Sure enough, a pair of "unidentified" specks was in my sight, around 18.000 feet, 1 o'clock as the airborne controllers called.

"I got the lead" I radioed the other pilots.

Some maneuvering, and I am in a full sight of the IF-21s. It's time for a visual range combat, in which in the era of fifth generation fighter and drones remain relevant.

"Confirm, number two will be mine" Evelyn agreed.

The lead IF-21 then approached my jet, looking for an opportunity for an ambush. But I won't be easily tricked by those guys. Then I bank right and reverse course to allow my opponent to try to lock on me. Seems victorious, I execute a J-turn and later locked my former pursuer, to a surprise of the Boramae pilot; 75 degrees relative to his position, and after a solid tone, engaged the laser weapon.

"Fox four." Along the said Boramae, two escort drones of theirs were also taken out.

"Argh, I'm dead" I can hear the IF-21 pilot admitted his defeat and returned to base, while I said to myself "Your effort amuses me" referring to the defeated pilot.

"Splash two"

The OPFOR E-15 also confirmed my kill. "Kelelawar 2-1, you have been killed". I increased power to chase the second IF-33, approximately two o'clock relative to his position.

"Emerald 3-2, what's your status?"

"Conducting defensive maneuvers. I'm engaging two bandits. Seems they have three instead of two. My drones are all engaged. Any assistance will be much welcome."

"Roger, hang in there, 3-2" I can feel she is worrying about me, so I must hurry, as the result I increased the throttle and head towards her position.

Seconds later, I reached Evelyn's position. One of the Elang Muda pilots, knowing the approach of the Firefox, managed to fire a simulated AIM-10 Diamondback into my plane Lock-on after launch, so I danced the jet to avoid it all, and dispatched the "enemy" with my R-81.

But Evy isn't out of the woods yet.

"Come on, Raden. You can do this." I prayed.

"Enemy locked on, Emerald 3-2, Fox two" Then "Splash one!"

"Way to go, 3-2! You're getting better!"

The exercise was concluded, it's time to return home.

"Iskandar tower, Emerald 3-1 is on final approach"

"Roger that 3-1, you are cleared for visual approach" The weather today is clear, so I decided to use visual approach.

"Deploying chute" I said into the plane's voice command system as she touched the concrete runway and soon the braking parachute deployed, slowing down the fighter.

I pulled the jet into a line of Flywheels sitting in the typical Indonesian bright, hot sun. Upon the signal of the ground crew, I turn off the two engines and get the parking brake locked securely.

"Nice fight today, Wise." Pandu commented as he and Paulus went down from their respective planes via boarding steps.

"But you lost your leader while I almost lost my wingman. I know two guys in the second flight were also "KIA". Thankfully, I think she managed to use her advantage in agility." I replied to my fellow pilot, a Chinese-Indonesian from Makassar. "I like to know what's happened."

Evelyn, on his right side, can only smile upon hearing my remark about the circumstances of her kill.

"Me too" Pandu replied.

Then, a new ground crewman greeted us.

"Good afternoon, sir. How's she doing?" asked Sergeant (Technical) Amiruddin.

"As always, she's doing great. You never failed me before and I hope you will keep your meticulous work you've done today with the Flywheel and the Gvardiya. They are meant for each other." I patted the enlisted man on the shoulder, with a smile on my face.

"That's what I hope to always be heard from you, sir!" The Maintenance Crew Chief replied, smiling broadly, beaming in pride.

We left Amiruddin and his maintenance crewmembers to their trades and head towards one of the briefing rooms on the base.

"Captain, look.." Evy tried to warn me but it was too late. I don't see a technician passing me, and soon I bumped at the airman, nearly falling on my back.

"I'm sorry Captain." the airman, ranked private first class, apologized, hastily assume a stance of attention followed by a salute.

However, I know that he might want to say at me. "next time be more careful"

I sighed. Just like when I was in school or walking through the crowd in public places like malls if I bumped at a few strangers or even some friends that I didn't know very well.

Instead he told me. "It's not a problem, sir, no damage incurred."

I took a longer breath and slowly calm myself down.

"Besides, we all know who you are, and was explained by the Colonel about your condition. Honestly, I can't imagine if I am to be in your shoes, Captain."

I smiled at the airman and then continued my way to the briefing room. Just another mission accomplished.