Indonesia has reached an agreement with US aircraft manufacturer Boeing for the delivery of 24 F-15 fighter jets as part of its military fleet renewal, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto announced on Tuesday.
The minister announced on Instagram the signing of “a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of 24 F-15EX”. Boeing made the same announcement in a statement saying the deal would “give Indonesia the ability to dominate the air.” Neither party has disclosed the amount of this transaction, which is subject to official US government approval.
Last November, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin himself traveled to Jakarta to negotiate the deal.
Loyd Austin stressed on this occasion that the completion of this agreement would strengthen cooperation with the US military and usefully complete the Indonesian F-16 fleet.
Rafales too
The F-15EX is the latest version of the F-15 fighter developed by McDonnell Douglas (a Boeing subsidiary) that is only used by half a dozen countries in the world. Jakarta’s military fleet currently consists of American F-16s and old Russian Sukhois.
At least 4,000 US and Indonesian soldiers took part in major joint exercises in the Pacific for two weeks last year, amid heightened tensions between China and the United States. Washington is concerned about the increased Chinese presence in this region and about the military exercises that Beijing regularly carries out around Taiwan.
As part of the modernization of its military air fleet, Indonesia, which has established itself as the largest economy in Southeast Asia, also ordered 42 Rafale last year from France for just over eight billion dollars.
Source: BFM TV
