Indonesia raises plans to procure Rafale and F-15EX fighters, several other new assets

 

The F-15EX from Boeing. Photo c/o Air Force Magazine.

The Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) plans to bring in new fighter, transport and tanker aircraft for the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) under a plan covering years 2021 to 2024.

According to reports from Indonesian press, a document was released from a TNI meeting showing plans to modernize all its existing fighter aircraft, as well as procuring 36 new Rafale fighters from France, 15 F-15EX Eagle fighters and 15 C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft from the United States, and 2 new Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft.

Also part of their plan is the acquisition of 30 Ground Control Interception (GCI) radars, and 3 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Systems.

The fulfillment of these plans will be dependent on the Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MOD), which will be in charge of approving the plan and obtaining funding from the government.

The TNI-AU has been active in looking for new fighters to replace older models and increase its combat capabilities. It currently has a contract with Russia for the delivery of 11 Sukhoi Su-35, but has not been able to proceed, apparently due to CAATSA issues with the United States.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto met with his French counterpart Defense Minister Florence Parly in France on August 2020, and since then, discussions on potential export of French defense equipment to Indonesia, including the Rafale fighter from Dassault Aviation, has been ongoing.

The US Department of Defense was also reported to not having any objections on selling Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle fighter to the Indonesian government, in place of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. The US DOD was also said to have offered the F-16 Block 70/72 Viper and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the Indonesian government.

The TNI-AU is also looking for ways to replace its ageing fleet of legacy C-130 Hercules transport and tanker aircraft, with the C-130J Super Hercules said to be the most logical choice, while plans for a new pair of aerial refuelling tanker aircraft has been discussed since 2019.

[1] Republika

[2] Aerotime Hub