Indonesia gives up on Russian aircraft purchase, instead turning to US and French options

[Zarvan]

Indonesia gives up on Russian aircraft purchase, instead turning to US and French options

By Mike Yeo
Dec 22, 09:03 PM

Indonesia is abandoning its plan to acquire the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E. (AFP via Getty Images)

MELBOURNE, Australia — Indonesia has admitted defeat in its attempt to buy Russian fighter jets and will now decide between the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II and the Dassault Rafale, according to the country’s Air Force chief of staff.

Speaking to media during a gathering at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base near the Indonesian capital Jakarta, Air Chief Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo said the Southeast Asian nation is seeking a 4.5-generation mediumweight or heavyweight fighter.

He said the narrowing of the choices to the American F-15EX and the French Rafale was made together with the Defense Ministry, adding that Indonesia wants two to three squadrons’ worth of fighter jets, depending on the budget.

Prasetyo also confirmed that it was “with a heavy heart” that Indonesia would abandon its plan to acquire the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E. The country had selected the Russian twin-engine, single-seat fighter in 2015 but never signed a contract for 11 aircraft following negotiations with Russia in 2018.

While Indonesia has not explicitly said so, it’s possible its reticence to conclude the Su-35 acquisition was due to concern the move could trigger U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The law was passed by Congress in 2017 and is meant to discourage governments or entities from acquiring weapons as well as military hardware and parts from American adversaries like Iran, North Korea and Russia.

Prasetyo noted that if Indonesia chooses the F-15EX, deliveries of the multirole fighter could start as early as 2027.

Any new fighter will serve alongside Indonesia’s existing fleet of refurbished Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcons and Russian Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flankers. The former were previously operated by the U.S. Air Force.

Indonesia is seeking the aircraft to meet its increasingly urgent air defense needs, but budgetary problems and a long list of defense requirements are stymieing efforts to fill the air defense gap of the country, which is made up of more than 17,000 islands that stretch from the eastern edge of the Indian Ocean to Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia previously expressed interest in buying Austria’s fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, which the European country was withdrawing from service prematurely due to cost and a corruption scandal.

Indonesia gives up on Russian aircraft purchase, instead turning to US and French options (defensenews.com)

 

[Indos]

We still dont know about Rafale and F 15 EX since our Finance Minister only approve 1.1 billion USD for 2020-2024 period intended for MRCA acquisition. It should be at least 1 squadron (12-16 planes) to fill previous F5 squadron in Madiun, Iswahyudi.

In Indonesia, planning Minister and Finance Minister are crucial for big tickets acquisition, they want the acquisition to be economically efficient. I still have high hope in the end we will order F 16 V instead ( whether new, refurbished and upgraded second hand F16, or combination of refurbished and new F 16 V ).

 

[MH.Yang]

Of course, you should choose F15EX!

 

[vi-va]

While Indonesia has not explicitly said so, it’s possible its reticence to conclude the Su-35 acquisition was due to concern the move could trigger U.S. sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

Indonesia was forced to purchase weapons from US. Backdoor is damn sure.

 

[Ali_Baba]

Given the poor performance of Russian systems and platforms - this is the best decision for Indonesia.

It is possibly another sale for the Rafale i reckon - Indonesia has suffered from American weapons procurement sanctions in the past and I think they would want to balance out their procurements to be not too dependent on anyone.

If the price is right - then Rafale it is as it will come with far fewer long term toxic issues over support. It is a shame that the Eurofighter did not make it into the selection window alongside the Rafale - by every metric the Eurofighter is a superior platform to the Rafale.

 

[Indos]

Given the poor performance of Russian systems and platforms - this is the best decision for Indonesia.

It is possibly another sale for the Rafale i reckon - Indonesia has suffered from American weapons procurement sanctions in the past and I think they would want to balance out their procurements to be not too dependent on anyone.

If the price is right - then Rafale it is as it will come with far fewer long term toxic issues over support.

Nope, we get sanction by both USA and European Union (EU), just google. This is why we bought Sukhoi 27/30 from Russia despite we are already so familiar with western planes and helicopters since Soeharto period.

Buying planes from Western nation is not regarded as diversification interm of avoiding sanction. Only planes from Russia can do that, but hard to do it under current CATSAA regime

EU Not to Renew Arms Embargo on Indonesia | Arms Control Association

www.armscontrol.org

 

[kingQamaR]

Why has your Russian deal fallen through for ?

 

[Indos]

Why has your Russian deal fallen through for ?

CATSAA regime, and we dont want to risk our KF21/IFX program ( engine still come from USA )

 

[kingQamaR]

CATSAA regime, and we dont want to risk our KF21/IFX program ( engine still come from USA )

since it’s predicted your home grown fighter plane with South Korea built will have its maiden flight in 2022 , that’s is very close you don’t want to risk the programme.

 

[Trango Towers]

CATSAA regime, and we dont want to risk our KF21/IFX program ( engine still come from USA )

This is why one must avoid usa

 

[Indos]

since it’s predicted your home grown fighter plane with South Korea built will have its maiden flight in 2022 , that’s is very close you don’t want to risk the programme.

Yup, and KF21/IFX program has relation with Lockheed Martin, so buying F 16 from USA can also smoothen the TOT process in KF 21/IFX program.

This is why one must avoid usa

We dont have choice, we cannot buy Russian and we have dispute with China in SCS. The best action we should do is to focus more on our home grown development, not entirely make us independence like China and Russia, but at least it will be closer to independency.

Currently both Indonesia and USA interest is alligned in SCS, so we are less likely getting embargo as long as competition between China and USA exist. We get sanction from Western nations (USA and EU) right after USSR collapse and cold war ended. We dont get sanction during fierce competition between USA and USSR, this is why we can invade Christian majority nation like East Timor in 1976 and keep holding it without USA and EU sanction until 1991

 

[Trango Towers]

Yup, and KF21/IFX program has relation with Lockheed Martin, so buying F 16 from USA can also smoothen the TOT process in KF 21/IFX program.


We dont have choice, we cannot buy Russian and we have dispute with China in SCS. The best action we should do is to focus more on our home grown development, not entirely make us independence like China and Russia, but at least it will be closer to independency.

Currently both Indonesia and USA interest is alligned in SCS, so we are less likely getting embargo as long as competition between China and USA exist. We get sanction from Western nations (USA and EU) right after USSR collapse and cold war ended. We dont get sanction during fierce competition between USA and USSR, this is why we can invade Christian majority nation like East Timor in 1976 and keep holding it without USA and EU sanction until 1991

Its a good move...Indonesia must look forward and especially engine design

 

[Shotgunner51]

We dont have choice, we cannot buy Russian and we have dispute with China in SCS. The best action we should do is to focus more on our home grown development

CATSAA regime, and we dont want to risk our KF21/IFX program ( engine still come from USA )

I still have high hope in the end we will order F 16 V

Thorough analysis! Since CATSAA kills your best offer on the table, you might as well upgrade current fleet of F-16 as a stop gap and continue to focus on KF21/IFX. There is no substitute for Su-35, it's gonna be a logistical/financial burden to go for an entirely new platform (wrt to IAF) like F-15EX, let alone Rafale which is only a smaller medium jet not in the same league/class as heavy Su-35 or F-15EX.

Upgrade (add some more if available) F-16 is the best stop gap move, ideally with V kit and F110-GE-132 (14.5 tons) powerplant. It remains one of the most efficient medium-multi-role platform among all 3G birds.

 

[Indos]

Thorough analysis! Since CATSAA kills your best offer on the table, you might as well upgrade current fleet of F-16 as a stop gap and continue to focus on KF21/IFX. There is no substitute for Su-35, it's gonna be a logistical/financial burden to go for an entirely new platform (wrt to IAF) like F-15EX, let alone Rafale which is not even in the same league/class.

Upgrade (add some more if available) F-16 is the best stop gap move, ideally with V kit and F110-GE-132 (14.5 tons) powerplant. It remains one of the most efficient medium-multi-role platform among all 3G birds.

I think as second tier partner of USA ( Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia is first tier) we cannot upgrade our 32 F16 into V standard yet. US only allows Indonesia ( at the mean time ) to buy new F 16 V from Lockheed Martin. This is why our F16 falcon star program never reach the sophistication of V standard.

Regardless of that, USA allows the refurbished and upgrade program to be conducted by Indonesian AirForce and Indonesian Aerospace together with supervision from Lockheed Martin engineers (2 persons) shows US is still willing in supporting Indonesia defense capability despite the start of the program happens during Trump administration. So there is consistency we see between Obama and Trump administration over Indonesia matter, it shows the need of having closer relationship with Indonesia is shared by both Democrat and Republican leadership.

Indonesia doesnt have territorial dispute with Singapore, Australia, and Philippine, but we do have with Malaysia and Vietnam. There is little dispute as well with China in SCS but I believe the dispute is not going to create military conflict since the geopolitics and economic benefit of having good relationship with Indonesia is far greater than just taking some sea territory in the edge of 9 dash line, more over oil based economy will be replaced with battery based economy and getting 1 or 2 oil field in Natuna where reserve is not too large is a stupid move.

Indonesia should focus on the economy, human development, and local defense industry until the year 2027 before thinking of increasing our defense budget at 1 percent of our GDP. Currently our defense budget sits on 0.8 % of our total GDP, which is the smallest in ASEAN.

The reason behind that strategy is because we are competing with ASEAN members as soon as RCEP deal becomes effective next year. So it is important to complete many important infrastructure projects until 2027 since it will increase our competitive advantage in the region so that FDI and domestic investment can be raised in the beginning of the trade deal in order to win a momentum and for the sake of our long term economic target. It is also important to develop our home grown industries before we raise the defense budget significantly so that the spending will be more sustainable and can further support our own local defense industries which is important for independency and deterrent factor.

Indonesia completes Falcon STAR and EMLU upgrade on fifth F-16

The Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU) now operates a fleet of five F-16 A/B airframes that have been upgraded under the Falcon...

www.janes.com

Our parliament chairman visited F 16 EMLU (Enhance Midlife Upgrade ) recently

Kunjungi Lanud Iswahjudi, Puan Apresiasi Program Modernisasi Pesawat TNI AU

ovasi harus tetap dilaksanakan guna menyiasati kendala penyediaan alat utama sistem persenjataan (Alutsista). Hal tersebut ia nyatakan pada saat meninjau program EMLU (Enhanced Mid Life Update) pesawat tempur F-16 TNI AU, di Pangkalan TNI Angkatan Udara (Lanud) Iswahjudi, Maospati, Jawa Timur...

www.dpr.go.id

 

[Indos]

This the area near Kalimantan (Borneo) that is disputed by Indonesia and Malaysia, it is still in strong grab by Indonesian Armed Force.

The problem Malaysian faces give more time for Indonesia to focus on its economic sector and local defense industry until 2027 since there will not likely be any difference of power balance between 2 countries until that year. The strength of Indonesian Air Force and Navy is still much greater than Malaysia as potential military conflict will be in limited area in the sea.

If Malaysia attempt to assert their claim by force in that disputed area then the probability of Indonesia to win that limited war is quite big, this then will likely make Indonesia punish Malaysia with ground force invasion in Kalimantan (Borneo island) where many of Malaysian oil and gas field take place.

Malaysia current problem in acquiring defense equipment is related to their 6 Gowin frigates project that is stalled quite long and first vessel will only be in service in 2025 based on latest development and also the fact that they have retired their Mig 29 squadron and delaying MRCA acquisition until 2028 (while just trying to order LCA around 16 planes that will not change much of balance of power because it is more intended to replace their Hawk squadron (18 planes) gradually.

I think Malaysia has given up their baseless claim and want to have strong relationship with Indonesia in order to improve better unity of ASEAN nations.