Indonesia has agreed to buy six Rafale fighter jets produced by French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, with the acquisition of 36 more on the way, the governments of the two countries said.
“It’s official: Indonesia orders 42 Rafales,” French Defence Minister Florence Parly said in a Twitter post during a visit to Indonesia on Thursday.
The two countries signed a series of agreements that also include submarine development and ammunition manufacturing.
Parly said the “strategic partnership will benefit from the deepening of our defence relations”, adding that France was proud to contribute to the modernisation of armed forces within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
For his part, Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto told a news conference: “We started this today with the signing of a contract for six aircraft, to be followed soon with another for 36 with necessary support and simulators.”
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