Indonesia abandons plans to purchase Russian planes

According to the country's Air Force chief of staff, Indonesia has acknowledged defeat in its bid to purchase Russian fighter jets and will now choose between the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II and the Dassault Rafale.

Air Chief Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo stated the Southeast Asian nation is looking for a 4.5-generation mediumweight or heavyweight fighter during a press conference at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base near Jakarta.

He claimed the Defense Ministry helped reduce the options down to the American F-15EX and the French Rafale, and that Indonesia wants two to three squadrons of fighter jets, depending on the budget.

Prasetyo also revealed that Indonesia would cancel its ambition to acquire the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E "with a broken heart."
Following negotiations with Russia in 2018, the country selected the Russian twin-engine, single-seat fighter in 2015 but never finalised a deal for 11 aircraft.

While Indonesia hasn't said so, it's possible that its hesitation to complete the Su-35 purchase stems from a fear of triggering US sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

The measure, which was passed by Congress in 2017, is intended to deter governments and entities from obtaining weapons, military gear, and parts from American foes such as Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

If Indonesia chooses the F-15EX, deliveries of the multirole fighter may begin as early as 2027, according to Prasetyo.

Indonesia's existing fleet of refurbished Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcons and Russian Sukhoi Su-27/30 Flankers will be supplemented by any new fighter.
Previously, the US Air Force was in charge of the former.

Indonesia is looking for the aircraft to satisfy its increasingly urgent air defence demands, but budgetary constraints and a large list of military requirements are stymieing efforts to cover the country's air defence gap, which stretches from the eastern edge of the Indian Ocean to Papua New Guinea.

Indonesia had previously indicated interest in purchasing Austria's fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, which were being phased out of service owing to cost and a corruption issue.