JAKARTA - The US State Department has approved the potential sale of F-15ID aircraft and related equipment to Indonesia in a deal worth up to $13.9 billion, or about Rp. 199.435.81 billion, the Pentagon said on Thursday.
Earlier yesterday, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia plans to buy 42 Rafale fighter jets in a deal of 8.1 billion US dollars, equivalent to 116.217.99 billion, as part of a series of agreements that also include submarine development.
Quoting Reuters on February 11, Indonesia is said to be trying to improve the capabilities of its air fleet, which currently includes US F-16 fighter jets and the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 fighter jets.
In the future, Boeing is the prime contractor for the F-15 jets, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a release. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale on Thursday.
The Pentagon said the package would include 36 jets, spare engines, radar, night vision goggles training and technical support.
Although approved by the State Department, the notification does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that negotiations have concluded.
VOI confirmed about this news, Spokesman for the Minister of Defense Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak could not speak much.
"Sorry, Mas, I can't respond yet," he answered briefly via text message Friday, February 11.
Last December, the Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo ensured that Indonesia would buy 4.5 generation Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France and F-15s from the United States.
"We want a 4.5 generation aircraft and we want a 'heavy' or medium and above. Because now we have F-16s, we already have Sukhoi made in Russia," Marshal Fadjar said at the time, as reported by Antara on December 22.
The choice of Rafale and F-15 fighter jets also made Indonesia postpone the plan to purchase Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.
"Sukhoi Su-35 with a heavy heart, yes, we have to leave the plan because we came back from the beginning, we mentioned that the development of air power is very dependent on the budget," said Marshal Fadjar.
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