President Prabowo Subianto Scheduled to Attend the Acceptance Ceremony of Three Rafale Fighter Jets in Pekanbaru

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Defense has confirmed that President Prabowo Subianto will attend the ceremony for the acceptance of the three latest fighter aircraft owned by the Indonesian Air Force, namely the Rafale, which has now arrived in the country. Although the presence of the number one person in Indonesia has been confirmed, the Ministry of Defense has not yet been able to determine the exact date for the implementation of the ceremonial event.

The Head of the Defense Information Bureau of the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General TNI Rico Sirait, explained that the schedule for the ceremony would be flexible according to the availability of time and the President's work agenda.

Currently, the three Dassault Aviation-made fighter jets are already at the Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base, Pekanbaru, Riau. This advanced fleet has been parked there since it was flown directly from France by the best fighter pilots of the Indonesian Air Force in mid-January 2026.

Although the ceremonial procession has not been held, Brigadier General TNI Rico emphasized that administratively and technically, the three Rafale units have been handed over and are fully ready to be used by the Indonesian Air Force in carrying out the mission of safeguarding the sovereignty of the Indonesian airspace.

The presence of this 4.5 generation fighter jet is an important milestone for strengthening national defense. Indonesia itself is listed as one of the main customers of Rafale with a total order of 42 units.

This major step was confirmed after the third phase of the purchase contract for the last 18 units was declared effective, which became the basis for Dassault Aviation to complete all Indonesian orders. Previously, the first phase contract for six units was effective in September 2022, followed by the second phase of 18 units in August 2023.

This modernization of the military equipment is the realization of the Ministry of Defense's long-term commitment to upgrading the main tools of the weapons system. With the arrival of the first wave of Rafale aircraft in early 2026, the Indonesian Air Force is certain to have a stronger and more modern strike force.

This strategic step is expected to not only increase the dignity of Indonesian defense in the eyes of the international community, but also provide a more solid security guarantee in the midst of the increasingly complex geopolitical dynamics of the region.