Leadership, Learning, and Human Capital in Process Innovation: Evidence from Sultan Hasanuddin Air Base

Air-operations units must sustain mission readiness amid resource constraints and evolving demands. This study investigates how strategic leadership, the learning organisation, and human capital quality combine to support process innovation within a major Indonesian air base. A cross-sectional design and variance-based structural equation modelling were used to analyse survey data from personnel spanning core operational and support functions. Measurement diagnostics indicate reliable, valid constructs, while discriminant validity and collinearity checks support conceptual distinctiveness. The results show that strategic leadership is associated with a stronger learning context, and that a learning-oriented environment relates positively to improvements in operational processes such as maintenance, logistics, planning, and safety. A smaller direct association from leadership to process innovation remains, suggesting complementary channels beyond learning routines. Human capital quality strengthens the translation of learning into improved processes, implying that deeper certifications, broader cross-skilling, and richer experience intensify the benefits of a learning culture. Model fit and predictive assessment indicate practical utility for anticipating improvement where leadership, learning routines, and upskilling are aligned. The study contributes a people-centred explanation of process innovation in a safety-critical public setting and offers guidance for aligning leadership practices, learning infrastructure, and human capital development to accelerate readiness-related gains.