Dassault Aviation Announces Effective Contract Of 18 Rafale TNI AU

Illustration of the dual engine fighter Dassault Aviation, France, Rafale, is airborne. This Rafale uses a gray color pattern with the red-edge triangular symbol of the Indonesian Air Force on both wings. (ANTARA/HO)

JAKARTA - Dassault Aviation, a manufacturer of top fighter aircraft from France, officially announced an effective contract for sure all three twin engine fighter Rafale aircraft from the Indonesian government.

In a press release quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, January 9, from the production headquarters of Dassatu Aviation in Saint-Cloud, France, it was stated that 18 units of definite orders in the effective contract were the final term of the Rafale 42 unit purchase contract.

The two effective contracts for Rafale procurement from Dassault Aviation were in September 2022 and August 2023, when six units and 18 units of Rafale were ordered, and with this third effective contract a complete 42 units of Rafale were ordered.

However, the press release did not mention the amount of funds that the Indonesian government had issued in each of the effective contract terms; it was also not stated when the first batch of Rafales arrived in the country in the Indonesian Air Force paint pattern, complete with registration number.

Another thing that was not mentioned was about Rafale's 42nd weapons system, whether the following was the flagship missile, MICA (Missile d'Interception, de Combat et d'Auto-defence) made by MBDA, France; and the simulator.

The MIA air-to-air control bullet on the NATO Arsenal list is commensurate with AMRAAM's AIM-120 (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) made by Raytheon, United States. AMRAAM is one of the most advanced air-to-air missiles today.

"By choosing Rafale, Indonesia has chosen a unique device in upholding state sovereignty and freedom in operation which will help consolidate its role as the main force in the region. The choice (at Rafale) also consolidates ambitious industrial and academic cooperation. We are deeply committed to realizing a successful partnership with a strong long-term vision," said Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier in the press statement.

Before the French Defense Minister, Florence Parly came to Jakarta on February 22, 2022, also widely called the Ministry of Defense interested in acquiring Boeing's dual F-15 machine heavy fighter aircraft, the United States; but until now there has been no definite news about this.

Several years earlier, Indonesia was also the main partner country for the development of the KFX/IFX dual engine fighter made by Korea Aerospace Industries.

The Ministry of Defense's certainty of interest in acquiring Rafale was marked by the visit of the French Minister of Defense, Florence Parly, to Jakarta on February 22, 2022. At that time, it was widely stated that Indonesia would buy 36 units of Rafale.

At that time, Parly and the delegation of the French Ministry of Defense came and held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subiyanto. After a closed meeting between the two defense ministers, the two held a press conference.

That's where Prabowo officially mentioned the number of Rafales ordered for the first time, not 42 units as mentioned.

Memoran kesepakatan kedua pihak telah ditandatangani dan kontrak efektif ditandatangani kemudian. Dengan ketiga pesan pasti ini, TNI AU akan menjadi negara pertama di ASEAN dan Asia Pacific --setelah India -- yang menggunakan Rafale, pesawat tempur berguis ganda dengan sayap delta dan kanard di bawah kanopi.

Speaking of delta winged fighters, the Royal Thai Air Force (Kong Thap Akan Thai) has used it first, namely JAS-39GripenC/D, made by Sweden's SAAB.

France's efforts to "challe" the warplane market began in 1986, when the 1986 Indonesia Air Show at Kemayoran Airport, Jakarta. At the Indonesia first grand aerospace exhibition, Mirage 2000 was present from France and the F-16 A Block 15 which was in the form of a squadron of the United States Air Force show, Thunderbirds.

Three years later, the landing of the first batch of F-16A/B Block 15OCU TNI AU through the Peace Bima Sena I Project, made the Indonesian Air Force three F-16Fighting Falcon users (at that time General Dynamics) in ASEAN.