Indonesia has officially taken delivery of its first Rafale fighter jets from France, marking a major milestone in the country’s push to modernise its ageing military fleet.
A defence ministry official confirmed on Monday that three Rafale jets have arrived in Indonesia, representing the first batch from a multi-billion-dollar defence agreement signed with France. The deal, initially valued at $8 billion, was agreed in 2022 and expanded last year.
“The aircraft have been handed over and are ready for use by the Indonesian Air Force,” Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait said in a written response to Reuters. This marks the first official confirmation that Indonesia now has operational possession of the advanced French-made fighter jets.
According to Sirait, the aircraft arrived on Friday and are currently stationed at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, on the western island of Sumatra. Additional Rafale jets are expected to arrive later this year, although officials did not disclose how many.
Indonesia is France’s largest defence customer in Southeast Asia and has ordered up to 42 Rafale jets, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, as part of a broader military upgrade. The country has also committed to purchasing French frigates and submarines, underscoring a deepening defence partnership between Jakarta and Paris.
The accelerated military spending comes under President Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces commander, as Indonesia seeks to strengthen its air and naval capabilities amid rising regional security challenges.
Indonesia has emerged as one of the most active players in the global fighter jet market. Alongside the Rafale programme, Jakarta has evaluated other options, including China’s J-10 fighter jets and the U.S.-made F-15EX.
Looking further ahead, Indonesia has also signed a contract to acquire 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkey. The KAAN is a fifth-generation aircraft powered by General Electric F110 engines, the same engines used in fourth-generation F-16 fighter jets.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Indonesia and Pakistan also held discussions on a potential deal involving combat aircraft and armed drones, highlighting Jakarta’s broad approach to expanding its defence capabilities.
The arrival of the Rafale jets signals a significant leap forward for Indonesia’s air force and reflects the country’s growing role in the global defence market. Photo by Gary Emery, Wikimedia commons.