US F-15 EX, France’s Rafale, Russia’s Su-35, China’s J-10C: This country buying fighter jets because…., name is….
Seems like Indonesia is on a fighter jet shopping spree, as it is signing deals with multiple countries for their fighter jets. The country has recently signed a deal with Turkey for its KAAN fighter jets, and now it is looking to acquire Russian-made Su-35 jets. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will visit Russia from 18 to 20 June. During his visit, he is scheduled to meet his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. During the meeting, talks regarding the SU-35 may also happen.
“The bilateral meeting is expected to discuss the development of bilateral cooperation, as well as a discussion between leaders on the regional and global issues that become a common concern,” Indonesia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Rolliansyah Soemirat said.
Notably, the Su-35 deal was announced in 2018 that Jakarta will purchase 11 Su-35 from Moscow for USD 1.14 billion. However, the deal was put on hold due to budgetary issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov, in January informed that the Su-35 fighter jet deal remained “on the table.”
Notably, Su-35 has proven its capability in the ongoing Ukraine war. It is a twin-engine, supermaneuverable multirole fighter jet which is loaded with new tech and weapons.
Indonesia Buying Fighter Jets
Indonesia recently finalised a deal with Turkey for the acquisition of 48 KAAN fifth-generation fighter jets. By doing this, it has become the first-ever foreign customer of KAAN.
Turkish media reports a ten-year, $10 billion agreement for Turkey to supply Indonesia with KAAN fighter jets. The contract also involves the transfer of related technology to Indonesia.
China also offered deal to Jakarta for its J-10CE.
Indonesian Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto informed that Beijing has offered a deal for J-10C jets when the Indonesian Air Force representatives visited China.
Indonesia’s government is currently assessing the suitability of a proposed aircraft for its operational needs and compatibility with existing systems. This evaluation is preliminary, and no technical assessment team has yet been deployed.
It is worth noting that Indonesia has been exploring several options to modernize its Air Force, to prevent over-reliance on a single source.
In 2022, Indonesia signed a USD8.1 billion defence deal with France. As per the deal France will deliver 42 Rafale jets to the country.
The country is considering purchasing more Rafale fighter jets from France, following a preliminary agreement with Dassault Aviation.
Indonesia also signed an MoU with American aircraft company Boeing in 2022 to acquire up to 24 F-15EX fighter aircrafts. Despite concerns over its USD8 billion cost for only 24 aircraft, the government’s plan to acquire F-15EX fighter jets remains unchanged, according to recent news.
Despite recent acquisitions of Rafale and Turkish fighter jets, and its involvement in a South Korean fighter program, Indonesia is still considering three additional 4.5th-generation fighter aircraft options.
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