Indonesian Aero News

In short, two TNI-AU members finished their loadmastertraining for the A400M earlier this month. Four TNI-AU pilots also already having their Type Rating Training in Sevilla. For now the plan is to add the two A400M to SkU.31 in Halim Perdanakusuma.

Bad news, gentlemen.
They even put a wrong image for this article.
Menhan sebut Indonesia akan beli pesawat tempur Chengdu J-10

Menhan soal Beli Pesawat J-10 China: Sebentar Lagi Terbang di Jakarta

Imagine a fleet with T-50/TA-50, F-16A/B/C/D, Su-27/-30, Rafale, and besides the J-10 there are still plans to order 48 KAI F-21 and 48 KAI Kaan.
The whole TNI-AU budget will be spend on inefficient maintenance, training, ground support equipment and logistics, there will be not much left over for operations and other things.

Like I put in my previous post, the noises of Chinese Financing for J-10C is already too loud, that the finance guys already in position to handle packages negotiations with certain Chinese FI and have limited choices. Afterall no FI outside China want to finance Chinese defence export.

Also if J-10 come, then F-16C/D will gradually phasing out, just like Hawk 209/109. However at certain period in near future there will be time when both types will still operate even when J-10 and Rafale begin operational.

China put position of those J-10 as interim solution from what I heard. They want to market like with Pakistan as providing J-35 as end game. For that those J-10 either come directly from PLAN inventories or PLAN current production line. Some argue it will not be J-10C but J-10B as it is still using sama engine with Flankers and PLAN want to phase them out.

TNI-AU more familiar with AL-31, and eventough WS-10 shares base with AL-31, personally I think better to get those AL-31 J-10 variance like the 'B', especially if those J-10 only act as interim fighters. Off course Indonesian forums and online chatters are livid if it is J-10B not J-10C.

Flankers in my opinion and from the subtle noises that being emulate from TNI-AU studies, already on sunset trend. Supposedly it is going to be replace by F-15EX. Now seems Prabowo now demonstrate closer relationship with Trump. Honestly at this moment I can't rules out Boeing Fighters. Especially if we procure J-10.

What will still be interesting is the fate of KAAN and KF/IF-21. From what I gather, there are condition of precedence in the procurement agreement for KAAN of ITAR free engine. Turkiye claim it will be their own engine this TF-35000. However that's big 'if' in my opinion on the progress, and US already hold supply for PW-100 and GE-110 that TAI need.

Prabowo might be signed that agreement with Sultan Erdogan, but I got feeling it can stretch out beyond both administration for implementing it. So it is possible to change. As for IF-21, the ROK media and enthusiasts already livid when they see Indonesia commit to Rafale and now J-10. Still somehow even though still in long discussion, I got feeling that IF-21 can be more likely to goal then KAAN.

At this moment we have F-16, Flankers and Hawk as fighter plus Tucano and TA-50 as LCA. If later on we got Rafale, J-10 and FA/TA-50 as LCA even either IF-21 or KAAN, TNI-AU diversification of Fighters not change much. After all Hawk, F-16 and Flankers already on sunset trend.

Who knows "if" the deal for KAAN and IF-21 can not goes through, and more Rafale can come as option. Dasault already in talk with DI to change the facility they prepare for IF-21 to Rafale lines. So options of 3 fighters end up only two or even one, in my opinion still open.

This is the media ask Defense Minister on J-10 today at MinDef. He simply answer it will come soon to Jakarta.

Ananda said:

This is the media ask Defense Minister on J-10 today at MinDef. He simply answer it will come soon to Jakarta.

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I should be surprised but somehow I am not .... Wayward procurement policy and decisions is really just the norm in Jakarta, long logistical tail be damned .....

Pity ... would've loved to see F-15EX in Indo colors.

I'm not supporting this J-10 procurement. However despite many 'defense insiders' enthusiats talk about logistical doom, at present we are basically already on two different side AF already.

We have F-16, Hawk, TA-50 and Super Tucano as more or less Western base system and Flankers as Eastern base system (well we are already entering 2nd Cold War anyway). What's the difference with future of Rafale, FA/TA-50 and either IF-21 or F-15EX on Western side and J-10 replacing Flankers at Eastern end ?

Means TNI-AU logistics foot print strategy not changing, just the numbers increasing. However it is also in line with the increase of Fighters plan from current 7 Sq to 11 sq. MinDef political diversification strategy has pro and cons, but seems will remain to stay. TNI-AU strategy so far on handling diversified logistics foot print are centralised logistics on each Class A Air Bases. In sense this is an area approach logistics. So seems Russian and Chinese made Fighters are going to be focus at Eastern Part of Indonesia (Makasar, Kupang, and Biak AB), while Western Part going to be Fighters using Western originate logistics.

As choices for 5th Gen of Turkiye KAAN, or KF-21 Blk 3 or now seemingly China J-35 (that China rumours to be offering after J-10), it is all back to US still unwilling to give F-35 to Indonesia, and Indonesia MinDef believes F-35 procurement going to be follow by stringer political liabilities.

In the end logistics wise it is not going to differed much then present conditions. The dissapointment from some enthusiasts I presume more to MinDef and TNI choices to keep diversified logistics due to political choices. Off course the dissapointment from Salesmen that stiring up public opinion due happen.

Ananda said:

I'm not supporting this J-10 procurement. However despite many 'defense insiders' enthusiats talk about logistical doom, at present we are basically already on two different side AF already.

We have F-16, Hawk, TA-50 and Super Tucano as more or less Western base system and Flankers as Eastern base system (well we are already entering 2nd Cold War anyway). What's the difference with future of Rafale, FA/TA-50 and either IF-21 or F-15EX on Western side and J-10 replacing Flankers at Eastern end ?

Means TNI-AU logistics foot print strategy not changing, just the numbers increasing. However it is also in line with the increase of Fighters plan from current 7 Sq to 11 sq. MinDef political diversification strategy has pro and cons, but seems will remain to stay. TNI-AU strategy so far on handling diversified logistics foot print are centralised logistics on each Class A Air Bases. In sense this is an area approach logistics. So seems Russian and Chinese made Fighters are going to be focus at Eastern Part of Indonesia (Makasar, Kupang, and Biak AB), while Western Part going to be Fighters using Western originate logistics.

As choices for 5th Gen of Turkiye KAAN, or KF-21 Blk 3 or now seemingly China J-35 (that China rumours to be offering after J-10), it is all back to US still unwilling to give F-35 to Indonesia, and Indonesia MinDef believes F-35 procurement going to be follow by stringer political liabilities.

In the end logistics wise it is not going to differed much then present conditions. The dissapointment I presume more to MinDef and TNI choices to keep diversified logistics due to political choices.

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Well said.

It is such a missed opportunity though. This is the time where MinDef and AF are willing to spend the money to acquire and build but that political baggage train is challenging to unhitch. I guess if there is a good thing that comes with this - seems like the AF will end up with at least 2 major types in meaningful quantities where each can be meaningful deterrent, and big enough to develop effective operational doctrine, unlike the hodge podge sqn of 16 Flankers for example.

The 2 future types though - Kaan and KF-21, that's interesting. The South Korean seems to have a decent enough track record in the international market (K9, TA50 etc) and large, complex programs (big DDG, subs), although Turkiye seems to be making strides. Still think that KF21 will mature first into a well rounded platforms before Kaan.

x100 XKR said:

such a missed opportunity though. This is the time where MinDef and AF are willing to spend the money to acquire and build but that political baggage train is challenging to unhitch

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We have political liabilities due to our possitioning in Geopolitics and our internal political 'compromise' behaviour. Either we back to two belloved dictactors era, or stay on present compromises semi psudo oligarchs-democratic situation that's a result of no dictactorship anymore.

The missed opportunity is in my opinion that the thinkin still back to Fighters focus and still lacking building network connectivity awareness. The last Pakistan-India aerial skirmish, shown PAF which also has US/West-China diversifies assets can still do well against superior IAF due to better network integration.

Frankly this moment, the big question is how far the Skytalys build network system manage to integrate different sources systems. How good the system becoming common gate way for integrated data network. That's that not being talk much. Whether Fighters, ISTAR, Ground CGI Radars, can be alright come from different sources, if the common gate way to integrate them as common network is effective and strong enough. Pakistan has shown that, it can happen. Will TNI Skytalys base network system able to do that, thats the question.

Ananda said:

We have political liabilities due to our possitioning in Geopolitics and our internal political 'compromise' behaviour. Either we back to two belloved dictactors era, or stay on present compromises semi psudo oligarchs-democratic situation that's a result of no dictactorship anymore.

The missed opportunity is in my opinion that the thinkin still back to Fighters focus and still lacking building network connectivity awareness. The last Pakistan-India aerial skirmish, shown PAF which also has US/West-China diversifies assets can still do well against superior IAF due to better network integration.

Frankly this moment, the big question is how far the Skytalys build network system manage to integrate different sources systems. How good the system becoming common gate way for integrated data network. That's that not being talk much. Whether Fighters, ISTAR, Ground CGI Radars, can be alright come from different sources, if the common gate way to integrate them as common network is effective and strong enough. Pakistan has shown that, it can happen. Will TNI Skytalys base network system able to do that, thats the question.

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Hear hear!
Well said and thought out.

It's not true that J-10B budget is US$9 billion. US$9 billion or US$9.7 billion to be precise is the total budget of PSP's latest iteration signed by Minister of Finance last month. US$1.6 billion allocated for J-10B, while another US$1.2 billion allocated for Turkey's glider.

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Frenchie psudo salesman seems acknowledge public campaign lost against J-10. He should be happy though already secure Rafale and Scorpene. Put his comment on quote as shown hilarious how his continue degrating Turkish products.

J-10B for one thing means his source and my finance guys rumour source agree on. J-10B and J-10C share similar external parts and dimensions. The difference on sensors and engine. Deino also talk that 50 J-10B basically in reserve condition as China wants J-10C with their own WS-10 engine being operate rather then AL-31 powered J-10B.

So basically those J-10B are in relatively low airframe hours, and China seems willing to let them go on discount price. For Indonesia means similar engine with Flankers that TNI-AU engineer already familiar with. If my prediction that they all going to operate in Kupang, Biak and Makasar, then it is also shown the area approach logistics still what TNI-AU aim. TNI-AU also already sign agreement with India on Flankers maintenance, and I pressume it will include AL-31 MRO.

Indonesia Ordenance company PT. Sari Bahari, show case their aerial precision guidance kit to the TNI-AU assessment. The kit from info being develop through license and co-op with UAE Edge group. The kit being mated with their 250kg conventional aero bomb.

Add on J-10 and changing budget allocation:

For J-10 negotiation, it is increasingly shown will be close soon with financing from China state owner Bank and Export Financing. Finance guys still opening potensial other FI as part of tenders. However so far no outside China FI wants to compete financing China Defence Export with Chinese FI.

Rumours the package will be follow or tandem with another package of avionics and sensors upgrade for J-10C standard. If this is true then shown Indonesia want C standard sensors but with AL-31 engines.

At this moment even though the amount of procurement submission that already reach MoF increasing, but I don't think the amount that going to be agreed differed much then the set default budget. In average the amount of financing must be related to multi year portion of budget that set asside in financing credit installment.

This J-10 basically using budget portion previously set for Mirage 2000. What being call before as Budget Portion of Interim Fighters. Budget increase but still not that much, and Indonesia defence budget still below 1% of GDP. I don't see it to increase much more than 1% for considerable future.

Interim Fighters for Mirage 2K being agreed upon couple years back. However now seems being repackage for this J-10. Shown even the budget portion already agree on, but still can be taken back and repackaged for different item later on. As long as Government not yet put a contract as effective by paying the Down Payment, then everything can still be changed.

The financing ceiling for this J-10 reported at USD 1.6 bio. With government DP portion of 15% then most likely the total procurement package will be around USD 1.85 to 1.90 bio. Let's see how much J-10 this translate.

DI and KAI sign agreement at ADEX 2025 in Seoul, to prepare moving KT-1B production line from KAI to DI. This is already been speculate in media and social media for sometimes. KAI want to convert the KT-1B line for enlarging their FA-50 line. Also KAI want to co-op with DI to develop further KT-1B.

Perhaps this is sweetener for ROK to convince Indonesia to continue in line with KF-21. Perhaps also it is just KAI see opportunity to develop KT-1B further without the production line taking place in their facility. For me focusing on Turboprop is sensible move for DI at current stage of their operation and business size.

TNI-AU Chief conducting commander inspection toward TNI-AU First A400M and their crew (Aerial and Ground Support) that conduct training in Seville. The first A400M being schedulled to be flown to Jakarta Halim AB next month.

There the A400M going to be station at 31st Sq that for time being will be Hybrid Sq for both A400M and C130J. Rumpours talk on Indonesia will take option for 4 A400M, and make dedicated Sq for A400M.

Ananda said:

PTDI-Berita-Pesawat KT-1B Woong Bee Bakal Dikembangkan di Bandung

SEOUL, KOMPAS — PT Dirgantara Indonesia dan Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI), Senin (20/10/2025), sepakat memperkokoh kerja sama. Langkah itu ditandai dengan penandatanganan perjanjian kerangka kerja [...]

www.indonesian-aerospace.com

Pesawat KT-1B Woong Bee Bakal Dikembangkan di Bandung

Prosesnya akan dilakukan bertahap. PT Dirgantara Indonesia akan melanjutkan pengembangan pesawat itu setelah Korean Aerospace Industries tidak lagi memproduksinya.

www.kompas.id

DI and KAI sign agreement at ADEX 2025 in Seoul, to prepare moving KT-1B production line from KAI to DI. This is already been speculate in media and social media for sometimes. KAI want to convert the KT-1B line for enlarging their FA-50 line. Also KAI want to co-op with DI to develop further KT-1B.

Perhaps this is sweetener for ROK to convince Indonesia to continue in line with KF-21. Perhaps also it is just KAI see opportunity to develop KT-1B further without the production line taking place in their facility. For me focusing on Turboprop is sensible move for DI at current stage of their operation and business size.

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Given the termination of trade talks between the US and Canada, shitcanning the remaining 72 F-35s and considering alternatives is starting to look more realistic. Would probably require two vendors. Multiple fleets, expensive and more complex but certainly no worse than dealing with an unreliable former ally.

John Fedup said:

Multiple fleets, expensive and more complex but certainly no worse than dealing with an unreliable former ally.

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There's pros and cons on the strategy of Multiple vendors and Uni or Duo vendors. However at this moment I just sense Indonesian MinDef try to talk to many vendors to gain ad much as costs benefits and bargains.

I can understand Rafale, in fact for years before I always argue that French is the friendliest western supplier to Indonesia, back even to Soekarno military build up era in the 60's. I even can understand J-10 (whether B or C) as a move to replace Russian Fighters in the end. Even Turkiye KAAN which I question the move, I'm still understand the logic to work with a Moeslem Nato members.

What I don't agree on is why still open the talk with Boeing and KAI for F-15EX and KF-21. KAAN will be on the size of Flankers and F-15, so why bother. KF-21 will not going to give more benefit toward Rafale. Dasault already open possibilities to replace KF-21 for license assembly line in DI.

So, either they (Indonesia MinDef) don't have solid long term plan, or they moving on planning by opportunities. Only a fine line dividing that.