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Old 10-07-2009, 07:13 PM
RN7 RN7 is offline
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From Merc 2000:

Current Conditions:
In 1997 a military junta seized power in Indonesia and invaded Papa New Guinea, in what outside observers labelled as a desperate attempt to distract the attention of the populace from the nation’s economic problems. Australia (the defender of Papua New Guinea by treaty) sent troops in response. This army was the first of many forces to be primarily mercenary, but it was not the last. In 1999, the Australian mercenary army defeated the Indonesian forces on Java and Sumatra, and the government in Jakarta surrendered, although parts of the defeated army (primarily the units in Borneo) refused to surrender.

The forces of the pro-Australian government currently control 90 percent of Java and Sumatra (including 100 percent of the oil fields on these two islands), and all major airfields and seaports in the rest of the Indonesian Archipelago, except for the islands of Timor and the Moluccan group, which are controlled by Timorese and Moluccan insurgents, respectively. Some of the inhabitants of the smaller islands in the Sulu Sea region have fallen to their own devices and returned to their old livelihood-piracy. Technically, the Indonesian Army officers control the mercenary units, but the major command slots of each mercenary unit (and most of the Indonesian units) are occupied by Australians holding Indonesian commissions.

Ground Forces:
The Australians have raised nine brigades of mercenaries for service in Indonesia, and also have available the Australian SAS regiment, a cavalry regiment, and an armored regiment. An infantry division of native Australians remains in reserve, to be used only in case of dire emergency. The army force of helicopters consists of 47 OH-58 Kiowa’s and 48 AH-1s.

Air Power:
Indo-Australian fixed-wing assets in Indonesia consist of two 16 plane squadrons of A-6, one 14 plane squadron of F-5s, two KC-130 tankers, and two 14 plane squadrons of C-130 Hercules transports (Indonesian), plus two 18 plane squadrons of F-111s, three 16 plane squadrons of F-18s, and 24 C-130 Hercules transports (Australian). Rotary-wing assets include 12 Bo-105, 18 UH-1 (Indonesian), and 8 CH-47s and 12 UH-1s (Australian).

Naval Forces:
The Australian naval assets devoted to the Indonesian theatre consist of a Perth class (ex-US Adams class) destroyer and 12 patrol boats similar to the SAR-38. Long-range recon duties are performed by seven Sea King helicopters of the Fleet Air Arm. Much of the Indonesian Navy was destroyed during the war, but another 17 patrol boats are available for pro-Australian use as well as 18 unarmed maritime recon aircraft.

Australian Organizations:
At the conclusion of the formal portion of the war the Australians retained most of the mercenary forces for occupation duties, while dismissing the bulk of their regular units. This has eased the burden on the Australian labour pool, since it is not necessary to take large numbers of the Australian workforce into the military. Nonetheless supporting the large mercenary contingent has placed a strain on the economy. Recruitment of Australian civilians is minimal. The total Australian force breaks down to about 20 percent Australians and New Zealanders, 45 percent Indian, 15 percent former Soviet, 10 percent German, with the remainder consisting of mixed nationalities. Most of the combat mercenaries are Russians, Germans and Americans, although other nationalities are well represented. Some of the units have been in service for years, causing the Australian force in Indonesia to be nicknamed the Australian Foreign Legion. The Australian organisation and equipment mix represents a departure from their normal organisational practises and represents the realities of the situation in Indonesia.

Free Indonesian Army:
This force consists of remnants of the old Indonesian Army. Units from platoon to battalion size are still in action (more of the former than of the latter), and hold much of Borneo. This includes the oil fields of Borneo, although Australian air patrols and a semi-unfriendly government in Malaysia keep them from exporting. Small pockets of anti-Australian resistance are present on Sumatra, Java, and Irian as well. A single surviving light tank company is hidden somewhere on Java, hidden in the interior of the island where it awaits an opportunity to strike. The Free Indonesian forces also have four UH-1 s and an armed Bo-105 (hidden in the interior of Borneo). The Free Indonesian forces have no naval assets, except for a few small island hopping cargo boats, unarmed fishing boats, or tramp steamers. Some of the larger fishing boats or steamers are big enough to carry one or two armored vehicles while still being small enough to land anywhere along the coast.

Revolutionary Front East Timor:
For decades before the war with Australia, the Indonesians had been fighting a low-level guerrilla war against a small but virulent Timoran insurgency.

Free Papua Movement:
This group is still opposed to the Australian presence in Papua New Guinea. It consists of a few hundred ill armed guerrillas operating in the mountainous jungles on the island.

Front for an independent Moluccas:
These guerrillas operate from the islands of Moluccan Sea, but have terrorist cells as far away as Europe.
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