2003 Bawean incident

The 2003 Bawean incident was an incident on 3 July 2003 where two Indonesian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon were sent to intercept five US Navy F/A-18 Hornets fighter jets from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. The F-16s and F/A-18s engaged in a dogfight, missile lock and electronic warfare near Bawean Island in the Java Sea, north of Java.

2003 Bawean Incident
Two F/A-18C Hornet from USS Carl Vinson photographed by an Indonesian Air Force B737-200 over the sea off Lombok Island
Date 3 July 2003 Location Near Bawean Island in the Java Sea Result Resolved with signals and communication Indonesia filed a diplomatic complaint to the United States
Belligerents
Indonesia Indonesian Air Force 3rd Air Squadron	United States United States Navy USS Carl Vinson VFA-22
Strength
2 F-16 Fighting Falcon	5 F/A-18 Hornet

Incident

Location of Bawean

The incident began when Indonesian Air Force radars detected the movement of five unidentified aircraft in a combat formation. Because the aircraft later disappeared from radar, the Sector II National Air Defense Command and the National Air Defense Operations Center did not report it to the center.

Three hours later radar detected more activity on the Green 63 civil flight route near Bawean Island or 66 nautical miles (122 km; 76 mi) from Surabaya.

Because the aircraft were not communicating with air traffic control, it was deemed dangerous for civil aviation. The commander of the Second National Air Defense Sector Command scrambled two F-16B Fighting Falcon fighter jets (tail number TS-1602 and TS-1603) equipped with AIM-9 missiles to identify the aircraft. At 17:04 the two armed F-16s took off from Iswahjudi AFB.

The F-16s intercepted the aircraft which ended up being identified as US Navy F/A-18 Hornets from USS Carl Vinson. According to Indonesian officials, "an attack maneuver" ensued. During the interception, Indonesia claimed that radar lock-ons and radar jamming occurred. The incident ended after radio communication was established. The American aircraft claimed to be operating in International waters.

After establishing contact, the F/A-18s flew away and the F-16s returned to Iswahjudi Air Force Base.

Investigation and aftermath

After the F-16s landed, the Indonesian Air Force received information from Bali Air Traffic Control that the Hornets are part of US Naval fleet and that the Hornets just contacted Bali ATC to report their activity.

The five Hornets intercepted were from the Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class supercarrier sailing from west to east with two frigates and a destroyer. From the results of monitoring by the Indonesian Air Force, the convoy of US Navy warships in the vicinity of Bawean Island was traveling at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and was heading for Madura and Kangean Islands 12 hours later. Bawean Island, which is located in the north of Java Island or in the middle of the Java Sea and it is between the Indonesian island of Java to the south and Borneo to the north, in the west lies the island of Sumatra and the Bangka Belitung Islands, and to the east there's the outer islands of South Sulawesi Province.

Because the United States did not ratify the 1982 UNCLOS, they did not recognize the Java Sea as territorial waters

Indonesian Air Force F-16BM (TS-1602) the same aircraft involved in the incident, 20 years later in 2023

Indonesian Air Force 737-200 'Surveiller' maritime patrol aircraft, equipped with SLAMMR radars

The Indonesian Air Force sent a Boeing 737-200 Surveiller reconnaissance aircraft to monitor their movements. When the 737 contacted the Hornets to ask where they are heading, the Hornets replied "We are in international waters."

The American warship fleet was still transiting the area and claimed to be in international waters. On that occasion, the 737 photographed the Carl Vinson, two frigates, and a destroyer. This reconnaissance was escorted by two US Navy Hornets.

Following up on this incident, the House of Representatives of Indonesia (DPR) asked the Indonesian government, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defense, to issue a protest diplomatic note against the United States government. From the photos that were captured, the Indonesian government protested to the United States for entering Indonesian waters without permission.

The United States Embassy in Jakarta stated that the naval convoy had sought permission from the Indonesian government and that the warplanes involved in the incident did not violate international laws and that they had informed the Indonesian authorities beforehand about the exercise they were conducting. Indonesia denied receiving notification and said it did not issue security clearance for the Navy convoy. However, Indonesian Rear Air Marshal Wresnowiro said the US Navy requested permission to transit, "but our bureaucracy is too slow to pass the security clearance."

Carl Vinson went on to visit Perth on 14 July 2003. The carrier then visited Hong Kong on 6 August travelling back through the Java Sea on a similar path as in early July. During the 2003 deployment, VFA-22, VMFA-314, VFA-146, and VFA-147 deployed on Carl Vinson apparently with F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft. It is not clear which squadron was involved in this incident, although according to an Indonesian monthly aviation magazine Angkasa, the F/A-18 Hornets belonged to the VFA-22.