Kostrad

The Army Strategic Reserve Command (Indonesian: Komando Cadangan Strategis Angkatan Darat; abbreviated Kostrad) is a combined-arms formation of the Indonesian Army. Kostrad is a Corps level command which has up to 35,000 troops. It also supervises operational readiness among all commands and conducts defence and security operations at the strategic level in accordance with policies under the command of the commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. In contrast to its name ("Reserve"), Kostrad is the main warfare combat unit of the Indonesian Army. While Kopassus is the elite-special forces of the Indonesian Army, Kostrad as "Komando Utama Operasi" or "Principal Operational Command" still maintains as the first-line combat formation of the Indonesian National Armed Forces along with the Kopassus.

As a corps, Kostrad is commanded by a Panglima Kostrad (Pangkostrad), usually a lieutenant general. Kostrad falls under the army chief of staff for training, personnel, and administration. However, it comes under the Commander-in-Chief of the Indonesian National Armed Forces for operational command and deployment due to the status of Kostrad as one of the principal operation commands. Kostrad typically receives best equipment in the Army and its two armoured battalions received Leopard 2A4 and Leopard 2 Revolution tanks.

Starting 1984 the Panglima Kostrad (Pangkostrad) has been charged to lead the conduct of combat operations, called defence and security operations.

Kostrad came into being during military action for Indonesia's take over of Western New Guinea in 1960, and was formally constituted on 6 March 1961. Initially designated the Army General Reserve Corps (Cadangan Umum Angkatan Darat), its name was changed to Kostrad in 1963.

General Suharto, was appointed as the first head of Kostrad in 1961, and it was in this role that he was able to assert the army's control in the days following the alleged coup attempt on the evening of 30 September and dawn of 1 October 1965, which ultimately led to Suharto replacing Sukarno as Indonesian president.

The command's troops have fought in most Indonesian military operations since their formation, such as the purge of communists and "alleged communists", including the Operation Trident (Indonesian: Operasi Trisula), the PGRS (Sarawak People's Guerrilla Force) in Sarawak and the PARAKU [id] (North Kalimantan People's Force) in Kalimantan. It also involved in Operation Lotus (Indonesian: Operasi Seroja) in the then-Portuguese Timor.

Kostrad troops have also been used beyond Indonesia's borders, as was the case with Garuda Contingent in Egypt (1973–78) and South Vietnam (1973–75) and with those in the United Nations Iran–Iraq Military Observer Group in the midst of the Iran–Iraq War of 1989 and 1990.

Based on the Decree of the Armed Forces Commander Number: Kep / 09 / III / 1985 dated 6 March 1985 on the Principles of Organization and the task of the Strategic Command of the Armed Forces (Kostrad), it is stipulated that Kostrad as a major Administrative Command reports directly under the office of Chief of Staff of the Army while as a Principal Operational Command it is directly under the commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. Kostrad was principally responsible for fostering operational readiness on all of its command lines and conducting Strategic Defense Security Operations in accordance with the policy of the Commander of the National Armed Forces. To carry out these tasks, Kostrad organizes and carries out the main functions in the development of strength, combat and administration, the military's organic functions both intelligence, operations and training, personnel mentoring, logistics, and territorial activities as well as the organic function of coaching and mentoring in planning, controlling and supervision.