TNI-AU’s NC-212 Aircraft Deployed for Cloud Seeding Against Wildfires

Banjarbaru: Indonesia’s Air Force (TNI AU) has deployed an NC-212 aircraft to conduct cloud-seeding operations over South and Central Kalimantan to help combat forest and land fires.

“Sjamsudin Noor Air Force Base is providing full support for the operation using facilities at Syamsudin Noor International Airport,” base commander Col. Hilman L.P. Ambarita said in Banjarbaru, as quoted from Antara on Tuesday, October 20, 2026.

He said the air base was a key hub for deploying the Air Force’s emergency wildfire-response task force.

The mission, overseen by the base commander, was piloted by Maj. Candra Ary W. and covered fire-prone areas in Central and South Kalimantan and surrounding regions.

The first sortie flew over Palangka Raya at an altitude of 8,000 to 10,000 feet.

The aircraft released 567 kilograms of dry ice during a flight lasting 2 hours and 5 minutes.

A second sortie over Palangka Raya and Barito Kuala carried 800 kilograms of sodium chloride (NaCl) and lasted one hour and 50 minutes, he added.