Indonesia has agreed to buy six Rafale fighter jets by Dassault Aviation, with the acquisition of 36 more on the way. The Rafale contract made by the Indonesian government is divided into two stages. The first phase of the payment of six Rafale units of around $1.3 billion, followed by a 36-plane contract with a budget not yet available. Even so, the Rafale price contract was included in the total order of 42 aircraft.
Dassault Aviation has signed a contract for selling 42 Rafale F3Rs (30 single and 12 twin seats) for 8.1 billion dollars, including weaponry, the Ministry of Armed Forces said in February. The first delivery of the Rafale, which will strengthen the Indonesian Air Force, will be carried out three years after the entry into force of the contract or in 2025.
The deal was signed as France sought a geopolitical expansion in the Indo-Pacific after the AUKUS failure. Indonesia has expressed concern about AUKUS, wary that using such submarines could add to geopolitical tensions in Southeast Asia.
