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Congrats
However I question the usefulness. The jet uses US engine. The jet probably uses most parts from US, EU, Japan. That makes the jet highly dependent and expensive.
So why not buy the original F35, now prized $85 million something?
Thanks
USA refuses Indonesia to get F 35. Our Defense Minister has asked it, but rejected and USA offer F16 V as replacement in which our defense minister rejected.
US part is something not a problem for Indonesia. Indonesia only has US and European arm embargo when Western power become the sole leader of the world. Now we have China as another power that is supported by Russia who has been gaining power due to raising oil and gas price for the late 2 decades.
USA needs Indonesia as balancing power in SEA against mighty Dragon from the East. At least as Indonesia become important player in ASEAN block, it is important to be close to Indonesia. Not only USA, but other Western powers also see Indonesia as important in this balance of power games in SCS. Of course Vietnam is also important in this game and we have basically in the same side while Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar are in China side already.
There is mutual interest between Indonesia and Western powers that is lead by USA in this current geopolitical situation. This is why I believe it will be OK for Indonesia to have cooperation with South Korea in the fighter program where US engine and other US technologies are used. We are under different situation compared to 1990-2005 where we got US embargo due to Santa Cruz event in East Timor. Indonesia also has let go East Timor in 1999 which is IMO a correct decision by Habibie since it will become a political burden for Indonesia when we have to deal with Christian Western powers. As we get East Timor through invasion, then it is also not good for our position if we talk about respecting international rule of law in SCS while we keep colonizing East Timor.
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The development cost of KF21 is not as much as F35 or other Western countries fighter program like Rafale. That is of course based on current calculation, hopefully there will be no major hurdle that we will face during this development that could increase the cost of the plane significantly. The price I believe will be quite similar with F 35 while we can control the fighters 100%, I mean it will be easier to do the upgrade by ourselves which is something that is stated directly by our KFX/IFX program manager in Indonesian media some years ago.
And dont forget that the fighter is planned to have wingman drone, this is another opportunity for Indonesian Aerospace to develop its own Stealth wingman drone for the fighter that could also be used as independent drone. This could possibly grow our aerospace company into the next level.
Currently we are developing MALE UCAV which is a good stepping stone for us before we develop Stealth wingman drone (hopefully).
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