Indonesia abandons Russian Sukhoi deal to purchase US, French jets
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Indonesia has abandoned a deal with Russia to purchase Sukhoi fighter jets and will be replacing them with US F-15s and French-made Rafales.
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Russian soldiers in Latakia, Syria stand by a Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet, May 2021 (AFP)
According to Indonesian air force chief Fadjar Prasetyo on Wednesday, an agreement to buy Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia was canceled by Indonesia, which will be purchasing US-made F-15s and French Rafales instead.
The announcement comes after top French and Russian officials visited Jakarta to strengthen ties and demonstrate commitments to Indo-Pacific nations.
Regarding the Sukhoi Su-35, Fadjar told reporters that "with a heavy heart, yes, we have abandoned that plan. We can’t just keep talking about it."
The Russian ambassador to Indonesia, Lyudmila Vorobieva, indicated there was still a chance the Sukhoi purchase would go through.
Worried about sanctions
Fadjar added that a lengthy purchase process, as well as fear of sanctions from the US, influenced Indonesia's decision to abandon the deal. Officials in the ministry of defense in Indonesia could not be reached for comment.
“The F-15 EX team has come to me and they told us if we signed an agreement today, we will receive the first units around 2027,” Fadjar said.
Indonesia said earlier this year that it will purchase eight F-15EXs from Boeing. The Indonesian Air Force presently possesses 33 F-16 fighter jets. Indonesia also signed a letter of intent in June to purchase 36 Dassault Rafale combat planes.
AUKUS and nuclear submarine technology
Russia and France, both of which have a military presence in the Asia-Pacific, have expressed concern over AUKUS.
The AUKUS alliance was formed on September 15, when the US, the UK, and Australia announced that the latter will purchase nuclear-powered submarines from the US and receive the know-how from both the US and the UK on AI, cyber, and quantum technologies, in addition to underwater and long-range missile capabilities.
The alliance, however, involved Australia canceling a submarine deal it had concluded with France, a move that Paris dubbed a "stab in the back" and led to a severe diplomatic row between the Western countries.
