Prabowo Express Constraints Of Combat Aircraft Development KFX/IFX: 9 Technology Hard To Get

Illustration of fighter aircraft (Rafael Garcin-Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Indonesia and South Korea are currently developing the KFX/IFX fighter aircraft program. So far, there are a number of shortcomings in the aircraft production stage.

Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto said the KFX/IFX fighter program lacked nine technologies. He said this when giving a speech at the national seminar "Tantangan TNI AU in the Development of Aviation Electronic Technology" at Halim Perdanakusuma, East Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, November 8.

"There are nine technologies that are still difficult for us to get, but okay; the nine that we find difficult to get, but we get 48. So, at least we have a business," said Prabowo.

However, Prabowo continued, this did not hinder the cooperation process for the development of the 4.5 generation fighter aircraft. "I don't think it's an obstacle," he added.

Therefore, he requested that engineers, mechanics, and scientists from Indonesia be involved in the project. The former commander general of Kopassus then compared the cost of procuring French-made fighter jets with KFX/IFX fighter jets, which cost half as cheap as the Rafale.

However, according to him, the strategy applied in the development of air power includes continuing to pursue sophistication, while building capabilities and complementing other technologies.

"We are chasing the Rafale, we are probably chasing the F-15, we are chasing it, but while we will accelerate our ability to build our own planes. I am sure in a few years we will have quite sophisticated fighter planes produced by our own nation," he concluded.