Prabowo Delivers Six Rafale Jets to Indonesia
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- President Prabowo Subianto handed over six Rafale fighter jets and additional equipment to the Indonesian Air Force.
- Indonesia received three Rafale jets in January 2024 and three more on May 18, 2024, part of a 42‑jet order valued at $8.1 billion signed in 2022.
- Prabowo sprayed the nose cone of a Rafale with flowered water, a traditional Indonesian blessing.
- The handover also included four Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft, one Airbus A400M MRTT, a Thales GM403 GCI radar, Meteor BVR missiles and AASM Hammer smart weapons.
- The Airbus A400M is the second unit received, after an earlier delivery in November 2023, and Prabowo said he expects to purchase four more for heavy‑load missions.
- Prabowo said the new jets are a milestone for deterrence and that Indonesia’s only interest is safeguarding its own territory.
Why it matters: The delivery expands Indonesia’s air combat and transport capacity, bolstering its deterrence posture and logistical reach while deepening ties with French defense firms; the $8.1 billion deal signals a sizable procurement commitment amid regional security uncertainty. It also includes radar, missiles and smart weapons that enhance Indonesia’s combat capabilities, and the symbolic blessing suggests political support for the military modernization agenda.
