Indonesia has received its first three Rafale fighter jets from France, marking a significant step in modernising the country’s ageing air force, a defence ministry official said.
As per the details, the jets are part of a multi-billion-dollar defence deal between the two countries.
Jakarta, France’s top arms client in Southeast Asia, has purchased up to 42 Rafale jets and French-built frigates and submarines as President Prabowo Subianto increases defence spending.
“The aircraft have been handed over and are ready for use by the Indonesian Air Force,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait told Reuters.
He confirmed that Indonesia has officially taken possession of the jets following an $8 billion agreement signed in 2022 and expanded last year.
The three Rafales arrived on Friday and are now stationed at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, on Sumatra’s western coast. Sirait said more jets are expected later this year, though he did not specify the number.
Alongside the Rafales, the country has evaluated other options, including China’s J-10 and the US-made F-15EX.
For the longer term, Jakarta has also signed a contract to acquire 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkiye. These fifth-generation jets are powered by General Electric F110 engines, the same type used in Lockheed Martin’s fourth-generation F-16 fighters.
Separately, Reuters reported this month that Indonesia and Pakistan have discussed a potential deal for Jakarta to purchase combat jets and armed drones.