Indonesia signs a Memorandum of Understanding to procure up to 24 F-15IDN advanced fighter jets.
The Republic of Indonesia and Boeing shared their commitment to finalize the sale of 24 F-15EX aircraft to Indonesia, subject to US government approval, during a visit of Indonesia’s Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto to the United States.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Air Vice Marshal Yusuf Jauhari, Head of Defense Facilities Agency, Indonesia Ministry of Defense, and Mark Sears, Boeing Fighters vice president and program manager, took place today at the company’s St. Louis facility following a tour of the F-15EX production line.
“We are pleased to announce our commitment to procure the critical F-15EX fighter capability for Indonesia,” said Minister Subianto who witnessed the MoU signing. “This state-of-the-art fighter will protect and secure our nation with its advanced capabilities.”
The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the F-15 ever built, with digital fly-by-wire flight controls, a new electronic warfare system, an all-glass digital cockpit, and the latest mission systems and software capabilities, which will all be leveraged in delivering the new F-15IDN.
The Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU, Indonesian Air Force) chief Air Marshal Fajar Prasetyo said on Feb. 18, 2021 that his country would have purchased F-15EX jets from Boeing.
“We have invested years of expertise into developing the F-15EX capabilities. There is no other fighter like the F-15 in the world, and this platform will put Indonesia at the top of air dominance capabilities,” said Sears in a company news release. “Boeing is ready to support this effort and remains a committed partner to the U.S. government in advancing international security objectives with allies and partners around the world.”
Boeing and Indonesia have worked in partnership for nearly 75 years to support the development of aerospace and defense capabilities in the country through training, supply chain development and collaborations. Today, Boeing’s presence in Indonesia covers commercial aviation, defense, space, supply chain, academia partnerships and talent development efforts across the local industry.
Currently the F-15 is operated by seven countries around the world.
For Indonesia, the F-15 purchase is part of efforts to modernize its military.
Indonesia originally elected the Su-35 to replace TNI-AU aging F-5E Tiger II fleet: in August 2017 the country announced a barter deal under which Jakarta was planning to purchase 11 Sukhoi Su-35 jets in exchange for Russia buying goods such as rubber, crude palm oil, coffee, tea, furniture and spices.
The Su-35 competed with several western fighters including Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, F-16V Viper, and Saab JAS 39 Gripen.
But in March 2020 it was reported that Washington warned Jakarta that buying the Russian fighters will risk the South East Asian country being penalized under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
For this reason, the TNI-AU switched to F-15 and Dassault Rafale fighters.
As already reported, as part of the contract signed by Indonesia on February 2022 for the acquisition of 42 Rafale, the second tranche of 18 Rafale came into force on Aug. 10, 2023. This follows the entry into force in September 2022 of the first tranche of 6 Rafale, bringing the total number of aircraft on order to 24.
Photo credit: Boeing
