Indonesia Plans 180 Flankers Plus F-16s..

[jha]

Indonesia Plans 180 Flankers Plus F-16s


Indonesia intends to acquire 180 Sukhoi Flankers and also to buy Lockheed Martin F-16s, Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro says, setting out plans for a massive expansion of the Southeast Asian country’s air combat force.

If Indonesia is serious about buying 180 Flankers, then Canberra will almost certainly fund the Royal Australian Air Force’s plan for 100 Lockheed Martin F-35s, says Andrew Davies, an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Until now, there was a significant chance that Australia would buy fewer F-35s.

The Sukhoi fleet will be built up by 2024, with 18 aircraft in each of 10 squadrons, Purnomo says. F-16s will replace BAE Systems Hawks, the government’s Antara news agency says in a report carrying Purnomo’s statement.

If the country does buy 180 Flankers and if it can operate them efficiently — two big ifs — then it will have transformed an air force that now has negligible combat capability.

Indonesia has been operating its current small force of Flankers, a mix of Su-27s and Su-30s, with poor levels of efficiency and availability. Analysts believe that its nine Northrop F-5s are in worse shape. Eight of 12 F-16As and Bs ordered in the 1980s are grounded.

The delivery of three Flankers this week took the force of that type to 10. The government previously said it would buy an additional six.

“To defend our nation’s sovereignty, we have set a target to procure 180 Sukhoi jet fighters to form 10 squadrons,” Purnomo reportedly says.

Besides Australia, the Indonesian buildup also would cause concerns in Singapore and Malaysia, according to Davies, although Leonard Sebastian, a Singapore-based specialist on Indonesia, thinks that Indonesia’s neighbors, including Australia, will not react too strongly.

The Indonesian air force is “pretty weak on human resources — not just the pilots but also the support personnel,” Sebastian says, doubting that the country could operate the Flanker force efficiently.

There is less doubt that it can buy them, he adds. Indonesia has been enjoying strong mineral prices stoked by Chinese demand. And building up the air force, rather than the army, would accord with the country’s policy of creating armed forces that are more technically advanced and professional.

Indonesia Plans 180 Flankers Plus F-16s | AVIATION WEEK

 

[jha]

The minister says the strength of the Indonesian economy is helping the government pay for its arms program.

Davies, who thinks Indonesia eventually will have a large number of Flankers but not as many as 180, points out that countries across Southeast Asia are focusing increasingly on advanced military technology.

Purnomo does not say how many F-16s Indonesia wants, but the country is operating six Hawk 100 trainers and 20 Hawk 200 light attack aircraft. Two years ago the government said it wanted to buy a squadron of F-16s between 2010 and 2014.

Any further F-16s may be secondhand. The defense ministry said in July that the U.S. was offering surplus fighters at low prices.

For imports of new weapons, Indonesia will insist on technology transfer and 40% of production work, Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin says

 

[blaster]

US will sell F-16 to indonesia and F-35 to Australia.....man these americans are really bad,can't trust em..
Better if australia goes for Pak FA...
they'll keep all Indonesian airforce in their homes

 

[Nav]

US will sell F-16 to indonesia and F-35 to Australia.....man these americans are really bad,can't trust em..
Better if australia goes for Pak FA...
they'll keep all Indonesian airforce in their homes

T-50 is a new bird, will take more then a decade to be mature enuogh to make make other fighters staying at their home.

 

[Parashuram1]

Goodness! I wonder what is the recent hurry by every country to upgrade air power. 180 Flankers are a real significant quantity for a country like Indonesia. There is a strong likeliness that they might train from the newly trained Malaysian pilots.

And why the F-16s? The Indonesians already seem to have an agreement with the South Koreans on a partnership in KFX program. The KFX is considered a 5th generation fighter satisfying Korean requirements well enough. Indonesians certainly cannot have a more urgent requirement than Koreans!

Intriguing.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Goodness! I wonder what is the recent hurry by every country to upgrade air power. 180 Flankers are a real significant quantity for a country like Indonesia. There is a strong likeliness that they might train from the newly trained Malaysian pilots.

Waiting for someone to say that it is because of the Chinese .

And why the F-16s? The Indonesians already seem to have an agreement with the South Koreans on a partnership in KFX program. The KFX is considered a 5th generation fighter satisfying Korean requirements well enough. Indonesians certainly cannot have a more urgent requirement than Koreans.

KFX will not be a Fifth generation fighter.

 

[Storm Force]

Indoneasia has a $400 billion GDP and military budget around $15 billion

THEY CAN AFFORD THE FLANKERS

 

[ISRO Go!]

never heard of KFX being Stealth plane can anyone post some clear information about it and when will be it inducted in korean airforce???

 

[siegecrossbow]

never heard of KFX being Stealth plane can anyone post some clear information about it and when will be it inducted in korean airforce???

KFX will not be a true fifth gen fighter because although the design will incorporate some stealth, the RCS level will be between that of the Eurofighter and the F-35. The plane is also incapable of supercruise and I don't think TVC is incorporated. It does, however, have AESA radars.

 

[ISRO Go!]

double post

 

[Luftwaffe]

For now dreams....
Indonesia operates 10 F-16s, 16 F-5s, 5 SU-27, 5 SU-30 ordered 6 more, 32 BAE Hawks
A total force of 74 with 16 F-5s/bae at terminal stages of their life.

I'm not sure what is Indonesia planning on with dead on economy where they cannot afford to spend on Armed Forces enough the plans to buy 180 Flankers alone is questionable and creation of extra squadrons is pretty foolish.
Yes it would be wise to upgrade the remaining F-16s and replace those 16 F-5s/32 bae hawks with some 40 more F-16s block 50/52.

The Question of 180 Flanker it would be better as previously reported they want to join KFX project perhaps it would be too wise to go for that project in small numbers yet highly efficient and potential then old flankers.

ps: defense minister purnomo yusgiantoro said many things in the past with no results.

 

[Sinnerman108]

For now dreams....
Indonesia operates 10 F-16s, 16 F-5s, 5 SU-27, 5 SU-30 ordered 6 more, 32 BAE Hawks
A total force of 74 with 16 F-5s/bae at terminal stages of their life.

I'm not sure what is Indonesia planning on with dead on economy where they cannot afford to spend on Armed Forces enough the plans to buy 180 Flankers alone is questionable and creation of extra squadrons is pretty foolish.
Yes it would be wise to upgrade the remaining F-16s and replace those 16 F-5s/32 bae hawks with some 40 more F-16s block 50/52.

The Question of 180 Flanker it would be better as previously reported they want to join KFX project perhaps it would be too wise to go for that project in small numbers yet highly efficient and potential then old flankers.

ps: defense minister purnomo yusgiantoro said many things in the past with no results.

Lets forget about economy and all that stuff

who are the Indonesians planning to kick with all that gear ?

 

[Luftwaffe]

Lets forget about economy and all that stuff
who are the Indonesians planning to kick with all that gear ?

Answer is coming up..

Chuck Norris!

 

[siegecrossbow]

Realistically I think Indonesia should go for the JF-17s if they want 180 4th gens. 180 Flankers is a big purchase even for China or India.

 

[justanobserver]

Which Flankers are they planning to buy, Su30s or Su35s ?