B757-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
We were intercepted by two SU 27/30 Indonesian fighter aircraft over TOMAN intersection. We had a clearance to cross 45 miles to the east of HOSBA at FL 140 from Singapore Radar. We were complying with clearance when we got a Traffic Alert and then another. We let Singapore Radar know what was going on....Then we received a Resolution alert to climb. We did this. We received many resolution alerts which we followed till we could see the aircraft! We then let Singapore Radar know what was going on of course and why we were not descending and instead climbing! We continued to tell the Indonesians we did have approval to be in their airspace. They were saying we did not have permission to be in their airspace...We took out the release just to make sure it was there ...They still kept saying you have no right to be in Indonesian airspace you have no clearance!! We argued for a while on guard. The Captain then told me I had the plane and radio and he got on guard freq. and told them to back off a couple of times and that we were continuing to Singapore... They started backing off as they said; so you're real macho!! I feel this put not only our lives at risk; but also the passengers on the aircraft...As they were flying really close to the aircraft. As the Indonesians were not complying with any Singaporean request to identify themselves as Singapore is controlling this airspace... Singapore was also making these requests on Guard freq. to no avail...
A B757-200 First Officer reported they were intercepted by Indonesian fighters even though they felt they were properly cleared into the airspace.