September 13, 2025 | 09:33 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian military (TNI) is set to receive three Rafale fighter jets manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation early next year. "We plan to receive the first batch of three aircraft between February and March 2026," said the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force, Marshal TNI Mohamad Tonny Harjono, at the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on Saturday, September 13, 2025.
Tonny explained that the arrival of the Rafale fighter jets is aimed at strengthening the air defense capabilities of the Indonesian Air Force, which has previously been reinforced with several other fighter jets such as T-80, Hawk 100/200, Sukhoi Su-30, and F-16.
The Indonesian Air Force will receive the second batch of Rafale jets in April 2026, consisting of three aircraft, and deliveries will be phased until a total of 42 aircraft have been purchased.
To ensure the proper operation of the fighter jets, Tonny stated that the Indonesian Air Force has prepared aircraft maintenance infrastructure and special technical personnel for the Rafale jets.
Previously, Indonesia was noted as one of the customers of the Rafale fighter aircraft produced by France.
The Ministry of Defense has secured a total of 42 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation in France after the effective contract for the final 18 units in the third stage of procurement.
The Head of Public Relations Bureau in the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense at that time, Brigadier General TNI Edwin Adrian Sumantha, said that this effective contract became the basis for Dassault Aviation to start producing the last 18 units of Rafale fighter jets ordered by Indonesia.
"The Ministry of Defense had previously finalized the first-phase procurement contract in September 2022 for six units and in August 2023 for 18 units. The total procurement of Rafale fighter jets is 42 units," said Edwin.
The purchase of Rafale fighter jets is one of the five new defense cooperation agreements that were agreed upon after a meeting between Prabowo Subianto, then Minister of Defense, and the Minister of the Armed Forces of the French Republic, Florence Parly, in Jakarta on Thursday, February 10, 2022. Prabowo is now the president.
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