The Koopssus (, Special Operations Command), is a special forces unit of the

Indonesian National Armed Forces The Indonesian National Armed Forces (; abbreviated as TNI) are the military forces of the Republic of Indonesia. It consists of the Indonesian Army, Army (''TNI-AD''), Indonesian Navy, Navy (''TNI-AL''), and Indonesian Air Force, Air Force ('' ...

with

counter-terrorism Counterterrorism (alternatively spelled: counter-terrorism), also known as anti-terrorism, relates to the practices, military tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, law enforcement, businesses, and intelligence agencies use to co ...

duties. The unit operates and was formed similarly to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Joint Special Operations Command The Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) is a joint component command of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and is charged with studying special operations requirements and techniques to ensure interoperability and equip ...

(JSOC) to execute special operations missions worldwide.

History

The Koopssus was established in 2015. At that time, this force consisted of 90 people who would serve in operational status. Revisions to Indonesia's anti-terror laws, which were passed in 2018, allowed the military to be formally involved in counter-terrorism operations. Until then, the

Indonesian National Police The Indonesian National Police (, abbreviated as POLRI) is the national law enforcement and police force of the Republic of Indonesia. Founded on 1 July 1946, it was formerly a part of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, country's military si ...

’s elite wing, the

Detachment 88 Counterterrorism Special Detachment 88 (), or Densus 88, is an Indonesian National Police counter-terrorism squad formed on 30 June 2003, after the 2002 Bali bombings. It is funded, equipped, and trained by the United States through the Diplomati ...

(''Densus 88''), had been the country's lead security unit in pursuing terrorists. The Special Operations Command was established on 30 July 2019, through President Decree No. 42/2019 and Commander of the Armed Forces Regulation No. 19/2019.

Organization

According to

Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces The Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (, known as Panglima TNI) is the professional head and highest-ranking officer of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Directly answerable to the president of Indonesia (the supreme commande ...

Air Marshal

Hadi Tjahjanto Air Chief Marshal (Ret.) Hadi Tjahjanto (born 8 November 1963) is the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs under President Joko Widodo's Onward Indonesi ...

, the Koopssus consists of 500 personnel drawn from the

army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

navy A navy, naval force, military maritime fleet, war navy, or maritime force is the military branch, branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral z ...

and

air force An air force in the broadest sense is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army aviati ...

. About 400 Koopssus personnel carry out preventive measures, including surveillance and intelligence, while the remaining 100 members are tasked with confronting terrorist acts.

Commander

The Koopssus is to be commanded by a two-star general officer, while the minimum position is a one-star general officer. Brigadier General Rochadi has been appointed on 30 July 2019 as the unit's first commander.

Organization Structure

Based on Commander of the Armed Forces Regulation No. 19/2019, Koopssus organization divided into 4 parts: Leadership, Assistants, Servicing Echelons, and Executive Operators. For Executive Operators, only 1 out of 7 executive operators is permanent body member of the Koopssus, while other executive operators are non-permanent body members provided by Indonesian National Armed Forces. Koopssus consisted by: # Leadership Elements ## Office of the Commander of Koopssus ## Office of the Deputy Commander of Koopssus # Assistants to the Commander (Planning, Operations, Personnel, Logistics, Communication and Electronics) # Servicing Echelons ## Koopssus HQ Detachment ## Administration Staff Coordinator # Executive Operators ## Permanent Intelligence Force Command ## Special Force Command (Non-permanent, per assignment basis) ### Sat-81 ###

Denjaka Denjaka (abbreviation from ; Jala Mangkara Detachment) is a counter-terrorism special operations force of the Indonesian Navy. It is a combined detachment formed from selected personnel of the Navy's frogmen unit ( KOPASKA) and the Marine Corps' ...

###

Bravo Detachment 90 The Bravo Detachment 90 is a counter-terrorism unit whose personnel are specialists recruited and chosen from the Indonesian Air Force's Kopasgat. It is the youngest special operations unit of the Indonesian Air Force. The unit specialises in ...

## Force Strengthening Command (Non-permanent, per assignment basis) ## Special Sea Operation Force Command (Non-permanent, per assignment basis) ## Special Air Operation Force Command (Non-permanent, per assignment basis) ## Special Force Assistance Operation Command (Non-permanent, per assignment basis) ## Supporting Command (Non-permanent, per assignment basis)

Mission

President of Indonesia The president of the Republic of Indonesia () is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The president is the leader of the executive branch of the Indonesian government and the commander-in-chief of the ...

Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), often known mononymously as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician, engineer, and businessman who served as the seventh president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024. Previously a member of the Indonesian Democratic ...

signed, on 3 July 2019, a presidential decree clarifying the military's expanded role in counter-terrorism. Koopssus is to be coordinated with the

in carrying out its mission of responding to high-intensity terror acts. According to the Decree, the Koopssus is in charge of conducting special operations and activities to safeguard the Indonesian national interests both at home and abroad.

Reactions

The speaker of the House of Representatives,

Bambang Soesatyo Bambang Soesatyo (born 10 September 1962), more colloquially referred to as Bamsoet, is an Indonesian politician and businessman, who served as the 15th List of speakers of the People's Consultative Assembly, speaker of the People's Consultative A ...

, said he hoped that the formation of Koopssus would also strengthen the monitoring of cyberspace. According to Air Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, the establishment of the unit is an implementation of the 11 Priority Programs, a military program to deal with a spectrum of threats.

References

{{Military of Indonesia Special forces of Indonesia Military units and formations established in 2019