Demonstrating Advanced Defense Logistics Capabilities Once Again
On March 3, CJ Logistics announced that it had successfully completed a defense logistics project to transport two T-50i training fighter jets, manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), to Indonesia.
CJ Logistics is loading the fuselage of a T-50i training fighter jet onto a cargo plane at Incheon Airport to be sent to Indonesia. The fuselage, wings, vertical tail fin, and engine were disassembled into four core parts for transportation and then reassembled locally. CJ Logistics
The training jets, which weighed a total of 30 tons and were shipped from Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, were safely delivered to an Indonesian Air Force base through a complex logistics process that included domestic inland transportation, air transport, local customs clearance, and local delivery.
CJ Logistics conducted a specialized "road survey" for defense logistics to meticulously design the transportation system. For the oversized cargo-measuring approximately 13 meters in length and 4.8 meters in height-the company pre-analyzed the heights of structures such as bridges and signboards, as well as turning radii, to prevent collisions during inland transport. Working together with its Indonesian subsidiary, CJ Logistics thoroughly verified local road conditions and carried out the delivery under the escort of military authorities.
For both domestic and local inland transport, vibration-free vehicles equipped with air suspension were used. The jets’ exact weight and center of gravity were calculated for precise loading, and an average speed of 60 km/h was maintained to ensure safe operation. The long-distance transport-from Sacheon to Incheon Airport (about 530 kilometers) and from Juanda Airport in Indonesia to the air force base (about 200 kilometers)-was completed with flawless precision.
Great emphasis was also placed on designing the air transport route. Drawing on its extensive experience in defense logistics, CJ Logistics analyzed the likelihood of obtaining transit permits from each country and mapped the optimal route crossing four countries to ensure stable delivery.
The T-50i trainer fighter jet being loaded onto a vehicle at Juanda Airport, Indonesia. CJ Logistics.
CJ Logistics adopted a "modular method" by transporting the jets in a disassembled state. The aircraft were separated into four main components-the fuselage, wings, vertical tail fin, and engine-and reassembled at the destination after both ground and air transport. In consideration of Indonesia’s tropical monsoon climate, waterproof covers were prepared for each component in advance to prevent damage to the aircraft even in rainy conditions.
Based on its expertise in transporting high-difficulty defense materials such as tanks and aircraft, CJ Logistics continues to support the global competitiveness of the Korean defense industry. The company has successfully completed major projects, such as shipping fighter jet training simulators to Poland and transporting T-50TH jets to Thailand. In 2023, CJ Logistics safely delivered 12 FA-50GF aircraft to Poland over a six-month period, and in 2022, it successfully transported nine T-50B jets used by the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles aerobatic team to the UK for an international airshow.
Jang Youngho, Head of Global Division 1 at CJ Logistics, stated, "We have been successfully carrying out high-difficulty defense logistics projects with Korea’s only end-to-end (E2E) logistics system, managing the entire process from origin to destination. We will continue to strengthen our role as a logistics partner supporting Korea’s advanced aerospace and defense technologies in the global market and further elevate our status as a leading global logistics company representing Korea."
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