Indonesia to Receive 2 South Korean T-50i Golden Eagle Jets in November 2025

3 hours ago 1

September 30, 2025 | 01:23 pm

A Hawk 200 after air demonstration rehearsal ahead at the South Terminal of Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta on August 7, 2025. Tempo/Imam Sukamto

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Two T-50i Golden Eagle fighter trainer aircraft, destined for the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU), are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia in November 2025.

These Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT) aircraft, manufactured by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), are the first batch of a six-unit procurement agreement finalized during the term of Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.

"It's an 'old' agreement from the year 2021," confirmed First Marshal I Nyoman Suadnyana, Head of the Air Force Information Service, via text message to Tempo on Tuesday, September 30, 2025. He noted that the delivery of the six T-50i jets will be carried out gradually.

The delivery confirmation follows a commander inspection led by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Air Marshal Tedi Rizalihadi, at the KAI facility in Sacheon, South Korea, on Monday, September 29, 2025. Tedi and his delegation were received by KAI's Senior Executive Vice President, Jae-Byoung Cha, and reviewed the production progress and facilities.

"These six T-50i aircraft will strengthen the Indonesian Air Force," Nyoman added in a written statement, claiming the acquisition is part of the Defense and Security Equipment (Alpalhankam) modernization program aimed at enhancing TNI AU's combat readiness.

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has had a long-standing partnership with KAI since 2014. Indonesia initially received 16 units of the T-50i fighter trainer aircraft in early 2014. At the time, Air First Marshal TNI Penny Radjendra, Head of the Public Relations Bureau, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defense, stated that the subsequent 2021 procurement of six additional aircraft was intended to fulfill the operational demands and strategic needs of the Indonesian Air Force.

Penny noted that the procurement process followed all applicable regulations, including prioritizing the utilization of domestic industrial components to support strategic local industries. The agreement for the six advanced trainer aircraft was initially valued at approximately US$240 million.

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