1Berita English – Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has finalized the total contract for 42 Rafale fighter jets from France.
On Monday (January 8), the Ministry of Defense officially signed the third contract for the continued production of an additional 18 units of the Rafale fighter jets manufactured by Dassault Aviation.
“On January 8, 2024, the third stage contract for the procurement of 18 Rafale fighter jets officially became effective,” as quoted from the official release by the Ministry of Defense on Tuesday (January 9).
The signing of the contract for the third stage, involving 18 units of Rafale fighter jets, is a continuation of the two previous contracts. The first term was signed by the Ministry of Defense with Dassault in September 2022 for the initial 6 units.
Subsequently, the contract for the second stage was signed in August 2023 for 18 units, followed by the third stage on January 8, 2023.
“With the effectiveness of this third-stage contract, Dassault Aviation, as the manufacturer, will immediately commence the process of manufacturing the additional 18 units of these 4.5-generation fighter jets to complete the total procurement of 42 aircraft for Indonesia.”
The Ministry of Defense stated that the Rafale aircraft is an advanced 4.5-generation fighter jet and is one of the flagship aircraft of NATO member countries.
Rafale falls into the category of omnirole aircraft, capable of performing various types of missions, including air superiority and air defense, close air support, deep strike, air reconnaissance, and anti-ship attacks.
The first Rafale aircraft is expected to arrive in Indonesia in early 2026. The Ministry of Defense hopes that the Rafale fighter jets, along with their weaponry and supporting equipment, will significantly enhance the Indonesian Air Force’s strength in safeguarding the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia.
