Indonesia Air Force Drops 12.5 Tons of Rice, Battles Wildfires with 'Flying Bucket' Helicopters
Indonesia’s military is running dual humanitarian and emergency operations, airlifting over 12 tons of rice to a remote highland region while deploying a heavy-lift helicopter with a giant water bucket to fight forest fires near the nation’s future capital.
The Indonesian Air Force has delivered 12.5 tons of rice to residents in Yahukimo, a remote highland area facing urgent food shortages [1]. The Hercules C-130J transport plane was used because ground access to the region is limited, and the cargo was offloaded for local distribution upon arrival [1]. This operation underscores the military’s role in providing aid to isolated communities [1].
Separately, the Air Force scrambled a European-made H225M Caracal helicopter fitted with a suspended water bucket to battle forest and land fires threatening the vicinity of Nusantara, the country’s future capital [2]. The aircraft is conducting aerial water-bombing sorties, dipping its bucket into nearby water sources and releasing the load directly onto the flames [2]. The deployment comes as dry-season fires have produced thick haze, raising health and visibility concerns around the new government center’s construction site [2]. Officials say the Caracal’s speed and payload capacity make it critical for reaching rugged terrain that fire trucks cannot access [2]. Ground crews are coordinating with the air unit to extinguish hot spots [2].