Final batch of Indonesian Rafale fighters enter service
Indonesia will operate a total of 42 Dassault Rafale multirole fighter jets. (Photo: Dassault Aviation)
Indonesia has concluded the acquisition of its third instalment of 18 Dassault Rafale multirole fighter jets, completing a three-phase acquisition.
Indonesia has marked the entry of its third final batch of 18 Dassault Rafale multirole fighter jets. The first and second batches of fighters entered the force in September 2022 and August 2023, respectively.
With the last delivery officially approved by Jakarta, Dassault has now completed the three-phase order totalling 42 jets, making the country the largest buyer of French arms in southeast Asia.
The news came just days after Indonesia shelved its plans to acquire 12 Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from Qatar due to financial troubles. As Shephard reported earlier this week, the military will use the money originally allocated for the Mirage purchase towards upgrading its existing fleet of Sukhoi Su-30 and Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft.
The mirages were intended to replace the Northrop F5s, long since withdrawn from service, and would have been used as a training and familiarisation platform while the air force awaits the first of new 42 Dassault Rafale jets it had bought in 2022.
Alongside the Rafales, Indonesia is set to acquire Korea Aerospace Industries’ KF-21 and has also been considering the purchase of up to 24 F-15EX fighters from Boeing.
The Rafale is a delta-wing agile aircraft with forward canards, which allow for short landing and slower speeds, powered by two Snecma M88 engines.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Rafale (Tranche I - III) [Indonesia]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
![Baykar’s Akinci: Local participation and export freedom drive $4.63 billion success story]()
Baykar’s Akinci: Local participation and export freedom drive $4.63 billion success story
The success of the Akinci drone stems from Turkey’s push for domestically produced components – which has led to fewer export restrictions – and from manufacturer Baykar’s willingness to coproduce the drone with customers’ domestic industries.
-
![Lithuania air focus: Majority of $235.98 million drone investment to be spent before 2030]()
Lithuania air focus: Majority of $235.98 million drone investment to be spent before 2030
Lithuania has committed significant funding towards expanding its UAV capabilities, with more than $54 million already spent and substantial additional investment planned through to 2029. Alongside domestic procurement, the country has also acquired various drones to support Ukraine.
-
![“A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era]()
“A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era
European militaries face a new security landscape, with the proliferation of drones, theatre ballistic missiles and other threats boosting requirements for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and related systems. For L3Harris, missionised business jets are central to meeting these needs, providing capability and flexibility in a cost-effective package.
-
![Japan’s Terra Drone expands Ukrainian ties to break into global defence market]()
Japan’s Terra Drone expands Ukrainian ties to break into global defence market
Following its investment into WinnyLab, Terra Drone unveiled a new long-range fixed-wing addition to its interceptor drone portfolio as it seeks to bring combat-proven technology back to Japan and expand into global export markets.
