Indonesia’s first Rafale fighter jet has successfully performed its maiden flight in France, signaling that Jakarta’s $8 billion procurement is advancing toward operational status. Images shared this week show the two-seat aircraft in Indonesian markings taking off from Dassault’s Bordeaux-Mérignac site in mid-September.
Built to the F4 standard, the jet integrates the RBE2 AESA radar, OSF IRST sensor, a modular mission computer core, and the SPECTRA electronic warfare suite. Together, these systems deliver a cleaner tactical picture, allowing the crew to react faster while lowering workload. Compact Safran M88 engines suit Indonesia’s hot, humid climate, and the airframe offers 11 hardpoints to mix air-to-air missiles, precision-guided bombs, targeting pods, and external fuel tanks.
Jakarta’s order covers 42 Rafales, enough to consolidate its diverse fleet of F-16s, Su-27/30s, and Hawk 200s into a more sustainable force structure. The first cadre of pilots and technicians are already in France for conversion training, with deliveries expected to start in 2026. The aircraft will progressively take on air defense, strike, and maritime roles, including quick reaction alerts and patrols over the Natuna Islands and approaches to the Malacca Strait.
The deal also advances Indonesia’s policy of diversifying suppliers and strengthening ties with France, which is also cooperating on submarines and radar projects. As regional air forces modernize, Rafale ensures Indonesia remains competitive, credible, and ready to operate in contested airspace.
