F 15 Indonesia - US agrees to buy Indonesia F-15s, sell Rafale fighter jets to France [File: BAE Systems]
Amid rising tensions in the Asia Pacific, Indonesia will modernize its aging air force with billion-dollar orders for advanced fighter jets from France and the United States.
F 15 Indonesia
Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto announced the deal for 42 French Rafale fighter jets during a meeting with French Defense Minister Florence Parly in Jakarta.
Indonesia Air Force F 15ex (fictional)
Subianto confirmed that the contract for the purchase of the aircraft had been approved, and the contract for the first six was signed on Thursday.
France's defense ministry said the contract for 42 aircraft and weapons is worth $8.1 billion. Indonesia may also acquire two Scorpene diesel-powered attack submarines.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration approved the sale of advanced F-15 fighter jets, engines, and related equipment, including weapons and communications systems, to Indonesia.
The agreement followed a trip by Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Jakarta in mid-December. He praised US-Indonesia ties for being close despite human rights concerns that have delayed previous arms sales to the country.
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"This proposed sale will support America's foreign policy objectives and national security objectives by improving the security of a key regional partner that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region," the State Department said in a statement.
"It is important to US national interests to help Indonesia develop and maintain a strong and effective defense capability," he said.
The statement did not mention China's growing presence in the disputed South China Sea and the Pacific.
As China's influence grows, the US and other Western countries are strengthening alliances in the region, reviving informal groups such as the Quad, and deepening ties with other countries in the Asia Pacific, some of which are embroiled in maritime disputes with China.
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The AUKUS security deal, under which Australia receives nuclear-powered submarines from the US, has angered China, but the sudden cancellation of a submarine deal with Canberra has angered France.
France has moved to strengthen ties with long-standing partners including Japan and India and turn to Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, which has also raised concerns about the AUKUS deal.
The two countries deepened their partnership agreement during a two-day visit to the archipelago by Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian last November, and AUKUS announced the same month.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Indonesia's decision to choose "French industrial excellence", noting on Twitter that the Rafale deal would "strengthen our relationship".
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Eric Trappier, CEO of manufacturing company Dassault Aviation, said the agreement “marks the beginning of a long-term partnership that will rapidly increase Dassault Aviation's presence in the country.
"It shows the strong relationship between Indonesia and France and strengthens the position of the world's largest archipelago as a major power on the international stage."
"With 17,000 islands, Indonesia has a small navy and a very small coast guard," Zachary Abuza, a professor at the US National War College and an expert on Southeast Asian security, told Al Jazeera. "Since its founding, most of the country's security threats have been internal, and now we see Indonesia rushing to build a modern navy and acquire aircraft to support those ships."
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