Indonesia’s First Rafale Fighter Signals the Onset of a New Era in National Air Power
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On August 12, 2025, the Indonesian Air Force released an image showing a Rafale in full livery intended for Indonesia, as aircrews continue their training on the new aircraft. The jet, bearing serial number T-0301, carries national insignia and a two-tone gray camouflage. On its tail is the emblem of the 6th Air Wing, to which the 12th Air Squadron belongs. This squadron will be the first Indonesian unit to operate the French-built fighter.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Rafale Fighter shown in the image is a Rafale B, one of the 16 ordered (Picture source: Indonesian MoD)
The procurement contract, signed on February 10, 2022, with Dassault Aviation, covers the delivery of 26 single-seat Rafale C and 16 two-seat Rafale B aircraft. During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Indonesia in May 2025, the possibility of an additional order was raised. The Rafale is intended to gradually replace Indonesia’s aging F-16 fleet as well as its Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft. Indonesia has also launched acquisition programs for the South Korean KF-21 Boramae and the Turkish Kaan as part of a broader modernization of its combat fleet.
A multirole fighter of French design, the Rafale features a delta wing combined with close-coupled canards, providing high maneuverability and balanced performance in both air-to-air and air-to-ground configurations. It is equipped with the RBE2 AESA radar, the SPECTRA electronic warfare system, and the MDPU modular avionics suite, allowing advanced data fusion and integrated protection against airborne and ground threats. Powered by two M88-2 turbofan engines, the aircraft can reach 1,800 km/h, has a maximum range of 3,700 km, and can carry over nine tons of external payload across 14 hardpoints. Its armament includes MICA and Meteor air-to-air missiles, SCALP cruise missiles, Exocet anti-ship missiles, AASM or laser-guided bombs, and an internal Nexter 30 mm cannon.
According to the Indonesian Air Force, four pilots and twelve technicians are currently in France undergoing initial Rafale training. From August 20, the pilots will begin a training cycle at Saint-Dizier Air Base running until December, which will include flight training and simulated missions. The technicians are receiving classroom and hangar-based instruction in organizational-level maintenance, working alongside operational squadrons of the French Air and Space Force. The aircraft shown in the image is a Rafale B, one of the 16 ordered. Delivering these two-seat variants first would allow Indonesia to conduct its initial training flights on its aircraft.
This procurement effort, combined with the prospect of rapid deliveries, represents a strategic shift in Indonesia’s combat aviation posture. The arrival of the Rafale, alongside the future Kaan and KF-21 fighters, is set to provide Indonesia with a modern multirole fleet capable of maintaining air superiority, supporting regional deterrence, and conducting precision strike missions across and beyond the archipelago. With long-range sensors, the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously, and a versatile weapons suite, the Rafale will be able to patrol Indonesia’s extensive airspace, secure contested areas, and carry out deep-strike missions, while remaining interoperable with regional and extra-regional partners.
Operationally, the recent experience of Indian Rafales in their engagement with Pakistan, marked by contested but instructive losses, has shown that even highly capable fighters are vulnerable without accurate intelligence, effective joint coordination, and well-adapted rules of engagement. For Indonesia, integrating the Rafale will therefore require doctrinal adjustments: strengthening detection and command capabilities, networking air and ground assets, training for high-intensity combat scenarios, and developing long-range engagement tactics. In a regional environment characterized by the growing capabilities of neighboring air forces and the increased presence of external actors, Rafale’s effectiveness will depend on its integration within a coherent and responsive operational framework.
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On August 12, 2025, the Indonesian Air Force released an image showing a Rafale in full livery intended for Indonesia, as aircrews continue their training on the new aircraft. The jet, bearing serial number T-0301, carries national insignia and a two-tone gray camouflage. On its tail is the emblem of the 6th Air Wing, to which the 12th Air Squadron belongs. This squadron will be the first Indonesian unit to operate the French-built fighter.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Rafale Fighter shown in the image is a Rafale B, one of the 16 ordered (Picture source: Indonesian MoD)
The procurement contract, signed on February 10, 2022, with Dassault Aviation, covers the delivery of 26 single-seat Rafale C and 16 two-seat Rafale B aircraft. During French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Indonesia in May 2025, the possibility of an additional order was raised. The Rafale is intended to gradually replace Indonesia’s aging F-16 fleet as well as its Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft. Indonesia has also launched acquisition programs for the South Korean KF-21 Boramae and the Turkish Kaan as part of a broader modernization of its combat fleet.
A multirole fighter of French design, the Rafale features a delta wing combined with close-coupled canards, providing high maneuverability and balanced performance in both air-to-air and air-to-ground configurations. It is equipped with the RBE2 AESA radar, the SPECTRA electronic warfare system, and the MDPU modular avionics suite, allowing advanced data fusion and integrated protection against airborne and ground threats. Powered by two M88-2 turbofan engines, the aircraft can reach 1,800 km/h, has a maximum range of 3,700 km, and can carry over nine tons of external payload across 14 hardpoints. Its armament includes MICA and Meteor air-to-air missiles, SCALP cruise missiles, Exocet anti-ship missiles, AASM or laser-guided bombs, and an internal Nexter 30 mm cannon.
According to the Indonesian Air Force, four pilots and twelve technicians are currently in France undergoing initial Rafale training. From August 20, the pilots will begin a training cycle at Saint-Dizier Air Base running until December, which will include flight training and simulated missions. The technicians are receiving classroom and hangar-based instruction in organizational-level maintenance, working alongside operational squadrons of the French Air and Space Force. The aircraft shown in the image is a Rafale B, one of the 16 ordered. Delivering these two-seat variants first would allow Indonesia to conduct its initial training flights on its aircraft.
This procurement effort, combined with the prospect of rapid deliveries, represents a strategic shift in Indonesia’s combat aviation posture. The arrival of the Rafale, alongside the future Kaan and KF-21 fighters, is set to provide Indonesia with a modern multirole fleet capable of maintaining air superiority, supporting regional deterrence, and conducting precision strike missions across and beyond the archipelago. With long-range sensors, the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously, and a versatile weapons suite, the Rafale will be able to patrol Indonesia’s extensive airspace, secure contested areas, and carry out deep-strike missions, while remaining interoperable with regional and extra-regional partners.
Operationally, the recent experience of Indian Rafales in their engagement with Pakistan, marked by contested but instructive losses, has shown that even highly capable fighters are vulnerable without accurate intelligence, effective joint coordination, and well-adapted rules of engagement. For Indonesia, integrating the Rafale will therefore require doctrinal adjustments: strengthening detection and command capabilities, networking air and ground assets, training for high-intensity combat scenarios, and developing long-range engagement tactics. In a regional environment characterized by the growing capabilities of neighboring air forces and the increased presence of external actors, Rafale’s effectiveness will depend on its integration within a coherent and responsive operational framework.
