Indonesia eyes US and Russian fighters

 F16V with camouflage TNI AU [Lockheed Martin] ✈️

The Indonesian Air Force is ogling new Lockheed Martin F-16V Block 72 fighters from the US to boost its aerial capability as part of the nation’s 2020-24 strategic plan.

ACM Yuyu Sutisna, Chief of Staff of the service, stated when visiting Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru on 28 October that the country’s MoD was planning to lodge a request with Washington before 1 January 2020 for two squadrons’ worth of aircraft.

No specific number was mentioned, but two squadrons could represent around 32 F-16Vs.

‘We will buy two squadrons in the next strategic plan 2020-24. We will purchase the newest type of Block 72 Viper,’ reported the state-run Antara news agency. Sutisna added, ‘[They] will increase our strength. If we have them, we will be among those having sophisticated F-16s.’

The proposed acquisition comes under the third and final phase of Indonesia’s Minimum Essential Force strategic plan, with new aircraft needed to replace the Hawk 109/209 trainer/light attack fleet.

Indonesia’s air force already possesses up to nine F-16A/B Block 15, 18 single-seat F-16C and five twin-seat F-16D fighters. The former are the oldest, having been obtained in the 1980s, while the latter two Block 25 types were ex-US aircraft acquired as Excess Defense Articles from the US after they were offered in 2011.

A total of 24 TNI-AU F-16C/Ds were upgraded with Link 16, self-protection suites and modular mission computers under a FMS package laid out by the USAF and amounting to $750 million. This work was completed in late 2017, and the aircraft are flown by Aviation Squadrons 16 and 3 in Pekanbaru and Iswahyudi respectively.

In a separate fighter acquisition, it was reported in February 2018 that Jakarta had ordered 11 Sukhoi Su-35S fighters in a $ 1.1 billion deal, but a contract is still yet to be signed with Russia.

The Su-35s are supposed to replace now retired F-5E/F Tiger II interceptors, and the Russian platform was competing against the likes of the Eurofighter Typhoon, F-16 and Saab Gripen.

One issue delaying the project is the threat of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) penalties by the US if Indonesia goes ahead with the acquisition from Moscow.

Jakarta would prefer to pay for these aircraft by bartering local commodities (e.g palm oil, rubber, coffee and tea) as well as by cash. The government also stipulates an offset package worth 35% of the contract value.

The Indonesian Air Force already flies five Su-27SK and 11 Su-30MK2 fighters obtained from Russia, with the last handed over in 2013. Some of these have recently been upgraded in Belarus.

Indonesia also has a financial interest in South Korea’s KF-X fighter programme, of which a mock-up was unveiled last month at the Seoul ADEX exhibition. Jakarta has been attempting to offer PT Dirgantara Indonesia-built CN-235 transport aircraft to Seoul to help defray expenses there, of which its payments are running behind schedule.

In October 2018, Jakarta stated that it would renegotiate its stake in the KF-X programme with South Korea because of ‘national economic conditions’. No new arrangements have been agreed upon yet, as far as Shephard understands. 

  ☆ Shephard Media