The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is scheduled to receive its next batch of Dassault Rafale omnirole fighter aircraft starting in 2027, according to Air Vice Marshal Tedi Rizalihadi, Deputy Chief of Staff of the TNI-AU. Speaking to reporters at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base in East Jakarta, Tedi confirmed that the upcoming deliveries will encompass 18 fighters, which are expected to arrive in phases extending through 2029. While he declined to specify the exact timeline for the third delivery tranche, he emphasized that the service has already established the necessary operational and maintenance infrastructure, as evidenced by ongoing operations with initial deliveries at Aviation Squadron 12, located at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, Riau.
The incoming aircraft form part of a comprehensive acquisition signed with France’s Dassault Aviation for 42 Rafale F4-standard fighters, comprising 26 single-seat and 16 twin-seat variants. Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense previously finalized the procurement in three distinct contract tranches, making the initial batch of six aircraft effective in September 2022, followed by a second tranche of 18 units in August 2023, and the final tranche of 18 units in January 2024. The TNI-AU took delivery of its first six Rafales in early 2026, receiving an initial flight of three aircraft early in the year, followed by a second batch of three in May 2026, which was formally received by President Prabowo Subianto at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base.
To ensure seamless operational integration of the advanced French fighters, the TNI-AU dispatched a contingent of four combat pilots and 12 technicians to France to complete specialized training programs. The twin-engine, canard-delta aircraft—featuring domestic French technology including the Thales RBE2 AA active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and the Optronique Secteur Frontal (OSF) infrared search and track (IRST) sensor—presents a major step forward in capability over the air force’s legacy inventory. The service’s ongoing infrastructure investments are designed to support the full operational spectrum of the platform, which Dassault markets for air supremacy, interdiction, and deep-strike missions.
Jakarta’s defense modernization strategy may eventually expand beyond the original contract of 42 airframes as bilateral military cooperation with Paris deepens. Following a Letter of Intent signed during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Indonesia, local media reports suggest that defense officials are evaluating options to procure between 12 and 24 additional Rafale fighters. If realized, these potential follow-on orders would solidify the French platform as the backbone of Indonesia’s tactical fighter fleet as the country seeks to strengthen its territorial defense and regional power projection.
