also wonder why this acquisition is covered with a blanket of secrecy, while this is only about transport aircrafts.
I don't think it is in secrecy, as it is been talk for some time from second term SBY and first term Jokowi of procurement plan for 5 C-130J. I believe it is already been put even in this thread few years back. Personally I suspect not much talk on media due to combination of this is transport aircraft (thus not sexy enough as topic) and LM team manage to lobby more silently thus not attracting too much attention.
LM as long term player with Indonesian defense procurement practices, seems knows more on which button need to push in reducing too much attention in media. When they need more noise in media (like F-16V), they know also which button to push. Don't discount F-16V yet, they can still come in either new items (considering the price Boeing ask for F-15ID), or refurbished kit package for upgrading F-16C/D.
Some Rumours in Taman Suropati and Lapangan Banteng (Bapenas and MoF), the concept of kit package with Refurbish work done in Indonesia for existing C/D or even with more "base" C/D from USAF inventory is seriously being consider. It is in theory can provide 4 sq of F-16V equivalent with price of less then 2 sq of brand new ones.
Point I put above shown on not underestimating LM play book in Indonesian defense procument. Both LM and Airbus already knows how to navigate defense procurement labyrinth in Indonesian bureaucracies.
Anyway:
Put this just to shown the paint in that C-130J is basically consider as base coat paint. Thus it is provide bade for TNI-AU technicians later on add layers of their prefered paint job. So it seems will not be the final paint job when entering TNI-AU active fleet.
