Indonesia abandons $1.14 billion deal to buy Sukhoi-35 fighter jets from Russia

Asia-Pacific, News December 24, 2021 , by IRIA No Comments

Indonesia abandons a deal to buy Russian Sukhoi fighter jets and narrows its procurement options to French-made Rafale and U.S.-made F-15 fighters, the commander of the Indonesian Air Force announced on December 22.

Indonesia’s Air Force chief of staff Air Chief Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo said while speaking to media at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in Jakarta, “Regarding the Sukhoi-35, it is with a heavy heart we have to drop the plans.”

“From the start, it was mentioned that to develop airpower we rely on budget. If the people who are responsible for the purchase are not keen on [Russia’s Sukhoi fighter jets], we can’t continue the discussion and it will likely be [changed to] Rafale,” Prasetyo said.

Air Chief Marshal Prasetyo said that Indonesia looks to purchase 4.5 generation medium or large fighters, and one of the main reasons that the government is considering buying the French company Dassault Aviation’s Rafale aircraft and the U.S. Boeing F-15 EX fighter jets was the budget.

According to the draft presidential decree issued earlier this year, the Indonesian government had planned to spend $125 billion to upgrade and modernize its arsenal in the next three years.

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

Indonesia selected Russia’s twin-engine, single-seat Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E aircraft in 2015, however, did not sign a contract for 11 fighter jets after negotiations with Russia in 2018.

Although Russia’s special envoy to Jakarta said on December 22 that the deal was still alive, Indonesia’s Air Force chief of staff said that it was “with a heavy heart” that his country had abandoned plans to acquire the Russian aircraft.

*^{U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle flying in formation with Qatari Air Force Rafale jet over Doha, Qatar.}*

Prasetyo pointed out that if his country chooses the American F-15EX jet, the multi-role fighter may be delivered as early as 2027. “The F-15 EX team has come to me and they told us if we signed an agreement today, we will receive the first units around 2027,” he said.

According to Indonesian Analyst, Johannes Nugroho, “Indonesia will likely settle on those fighter jets least likely to incense either China or the U.S., giving France’s Rafale bid an advantage over the others, unless a new contender appears on the horizon.”

In addition to the plan to purchase Rafale and F-15X fighter jets, earlier this year, Indonesia’s Defense Ministry also announced its plans to buy 15 C-130J transport aircraft and long-range unmanned fighter aircraft from the U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin, and two A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space.

In November 2021 on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow, Indonesia also signed an agreement to buy two Airbus A400M transport aircraft.