The new President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, has expressed a negative stance towards the ROK. This raised significant doubts about Indonesia's future involvement in the KF-21 fighter programme.
CNBC Indonesia Author Alman Helvas Ali reported that the new president's not including ROK in his visits, on top of bilateral issues faced within the KF-21 consortium, has created a pessimistic atmosphere. Prabowo has already visited France, Russia, China, and Japan.
The aforementioned bilateral issues occurred during Prabowo's time as the Minister of Defence. Some of these issues include Indonesia stalling the payments for development costs and the ROK accusing some of the Indonesian engineers in the programme of stealing sensitive information. Despite the issues, Indonesia agreed to return to the KF-21 programme on the condition of making payments in March 2024.
Alongside political and financial issues, there is scepticism among Indonesian circles that KF-21's status as a 4.5-generation fighter with a provision to become a fifth-generation one in the 2030s might not provide Indonesia with an edge worth all the efforts and drama. However, the potential of the KF-21 to evolve into a fifth-generation fighter in the future is a beacon of hope for its capabilities.
Despite the challenges faced by the ROK, the KF-21's tests are continuing with determination and focus. These include crucial tests such as air-to-air missile firing and mid-air refuelling. The ROKAF is optimistic about receiving its first 20 KF-21 Block I aircraft in 2026, a testament to the program's resilience.
