The Establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone as an Opportunity in Enforcing the Sovereignty of the State and Law in Indonesia

Abstract

An Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) is part of a state’s air defense system. Within international law, no specific law regulates the state’s authority to establish ADIZ nor explicitly prohibits them to set their own ADIZ. Consequently, it is through states own various interpretations of provisions within international law that states have based their authority to determine its ADIZ. Following the practice of other states, Indonesia has also established ADIZ as part of Indonesia’s air defense system to enforce the sovereignty of the State and law over airspace. The Indonesian ADIZ is the airspace covering of a small portion of South Sumatra, Java and Madura, Bali, Lombok and a fraction of the western part of Sumbawa Island. A closer look to Indonesia’s ADIZ reveals that the zone is still within Indonesia’s national territorial airspace. Notably, this is contrary to several states practice in establishing its own ADIZ whose zone is outside its national airspace. 

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/85-09

Publication date:May 31^st 2019