The Indonesian Air Force received its first three Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation. These aircraft were adopted after testing near Bordeaux, where the company's production facilities are located. They will arrive in Indonesia in January 2026.
All three Rafale fighters—T-0301, T-0302, and T-0303—are two-seater variants designed for pilot training and flight skill development.
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In this context, the terms of the Dassault Aviation order are revealing, as 36 aircraft were pre-ordered in the summer of 2021. The total order eventually grew to 42 aircraft, including 26 single-seat and 16 two-seat fighters. The aircraft were later contracted in separate batches under the total price of $8.1 billion, equating to $192.85 million per one fighter jet.
The first order for the first batch of six Rafale aircraft was placed in September 2022. It took Dassault Aviation more than three years to deliver the first Rafale aircraft to the customer. During this period, Indonesia signed two additional tranches for 18 aircraft, in August 2023 and January 2024.
At the same time, Indonesia arranged the purchase of russian Su-35s in 2008. It was a logical step, given that the country already operated around 20 Su-27s and Su-30s, along with 36 F-16s. 11 Su-35s were ordered in 2018 for $1.1 billion. However, in 2021, Jakarta canceled the contract, citing a lack of funds, although russia claimed it was due to pressure from the U.S.
In any case, the Rafale is now set to become Indonesia's main fighter jet, as the already expanded plan of 42 aircraft has been further increased. In May this year, despite the Rafale's underwhelming combat debut during the India-Pakistan conflict, Jakarta signed a letter of intent for an additional 8–18 aircraft.
So, the total number of French Rafale fighter jets in the Indonesian Air Force could reach 60 units. However, at the present delivery rate, the full prospect is not expected until the 2030s.
It should be noted that Dassault plans to produce 25 Rafale fighter jets in 2025, marking the highest production rate in recent years. At the same time, the current order book stands at around 220 aircraft, with an equal number of potential orders, including additional requests from India and Ukraine.
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