Jakarta – Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to strengthening Indonesia’s defense and providing the best defense equipment for the TNI has been proven again. On January 8 2024, the contract for the third phase of procurement of 18 Rafale fighter jets was officially effective.
Previously, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense had also made the first phase procurement contract effective with Dassault Aviation, a leading aircraft manufacturer from France. In September 2022 there will be 6 units and in August 2023 there will be 18 units. In total, the procurement of Rafale fighter jets by the Indonesian Ministry of Defense amounted to 42 units.
With the effectiveness of this third phase contract, Dassault Aviation as the manufacturer will immediately begin the process of manufacturing 18 additional 4.5 generation fighter jets to complete the total procurement of 42 aircraft for the Indonesian Government.
The Rafale is a sophisticated 4.5 generation fighter jet which is one of the mainstays of NATO member countries. The Rafale is included in the omnirole aircraft category so it is capable of carrying out various types of missions, ranging from air superiority and air defense, close air support, in-depth attacks, air reconnaissance, to anti-ship attacks.
Another advantage of the Rafale is its compatibility with various types of weapons such as long-range air-to-air missiles, namely Beyond Visual Range” (BVR) METEOR and MICA.
Various other types of weapons can also be installed on Rafale fighter jets such as SCALP long-range stand-off missiles, AM39 EXOCET anti-ship missiles, laser-guided bombs, classic guided bombs and the NEXTER 30M791 30 mm internal cannon which is capable of firing 2,500 rounds/minute.
The first Rafale fighter jet will arrive in Indonesia in early 2026. The arrival of the Rafale fighter jet and its supporting weapons and equipment in the next few years is expected to significantly increase the strength and readiness of the Indonesian Air Force in protecting the country’s sovereignty in the air. Bembo
