Indonesia Immediately Buys The Chengdu J-10 Fighter Plane

JAKARTA - Minister of Defense (Menhan) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the Chinese-madeChengduJ-10 fighter aircraft would soon be purchased by Indonesia.

"I'll be flying in Jakarta soon," said Sjafrie as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, October 15,

However, Sjafrie did not reveal further details of the time for the purchase or flight of the fighter jet.

Previously, the Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Defense (Kemenhan) Brigadier General Frega Wenas Inkiriwang said the Chinese-made ChengduJ-10 fighter aircraft that the Ministry of Defense wants to buy is still being studied by the Indonesian Air Force.

"Meanwhile, for the J-10 one, it is indeed the assessment of the Indonesian Air Force, we want the best defense equipment platforms," said Frega.

The assessment process is carried out to ensure the purchase of J-10 fighter aircraft is appropriate to strengthen Indonesia's air defense.

Frega also ensured that the Ministry of Defense had not yet discussed the budget value that would be issued by the government to buy the fighter aircraft from the Bamboo Curtain country.

Previously, information circulated that the government had purchased fighter jets from China, Chengdu J-10Information, circulating on several social media accounts, one of which was the Instagram account @isds.indonesia.

In uploading the account on September 2, 2025, President Prabowo Subianto explained that he plans to buy 42 fighter jets.

Based on French media Intelligence online quoted by the ISDS Instagram account, the J-10 purchase contract was delayed due to funding issues. Now, the contract will continue through a payment scheme from China.

Previously, Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono also said that three new Indonesian Air Force fighter aircraft made by French company, Rafale, were scheduled to come to Indonesia in February 2026.

"The plan is between February or March (2026), we will receive the first batch of three planes first," said Marshal Tonny at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, Jakarta, Saturday (13/9).

Tonny explained that the arrival of the Rafale fighter aircraft was to increase the air defense strength of the Indonesian Air Force, which had previously strengthened several fighter aircraft, such as T-80, Hawk 100/200, Sukhoi Su-30, and F-16.