JAKARTA, July 29 — Indonesia has signed a contract to buy 48 KAAN fighter jets from Turkiye, the Indonesian defence ministry said today, sealing the latest purchase by the Southeast Asian nation aimed at modernising its ageing military hardware. 

In order to strengthen its air force, Jakarta also ordered 42 French Rafale jets worth US$8.1 billion (RM34.3 billion) in 2022.

 It is also considering ordering China’s J-10 fighter jets and continues talks to purchase the US-made F-15EX jets.

Indonesia and Turkiye “signed an implementation contract” last Saturday on the sidelines of the International Defence Industry Fair in Istanbul, defence ministry spokesperson Frega Wenas Inkriwang said in a statement.

He did not provide details of the contract value or delivery dates. KAAN is Turkiye’s first national combat aircraft and it completed its first flight in February last year, but serial production is not expected to begin until 2028.

Turkiye’s defence ministry called the jet a fifth-generation aircraft and said it will be powered by two General Electric F-110 engines, which are also used in the fourth-generation Lockheed Martin F-16 jets.

Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeedin witnessed the agreement signing, Frega said, adding the contract signing reaffirms the commitment of both governments to strengthen joint technology development and expand Indonesia’s defence industry capacity.

Indonesia also signed an MoU with Turkiye’s TAIS Shipyard to purchase two Milgem Istif class frigates during the defence fair in Istanbul, according to a social media post by Sjafrie late yesterday.

The defence ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters’ question about details of the frigate deal. — Reuters