Indonesia and US aircraft manufacturer Boeing have accepted to have a collaboration for the sale of fifteen F-15EX fighter jets as South-east Asia’s hugest economy drives to modernise its fleet, Jakarta’s defence minister said on Tuesday. Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto on Monday observes the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) pledging to the sale between the Indonesian air force and Boeing officials at the company’s St Louis facility.
“MoU signing commitment to buy 24 F-15EX Fighter Aircraft Units,” Mr Subianto texted on Instagram under a picture of him observing the deal’s signing. Boeing conveyed in a statement on Monday the deal would “put Indonesia at the top of air dominance capabilities”. The F-15EX is the most advanced version of the fighter jet and the F-15 is utilized by only more than half a dozen nations universally.
Jakarta right now owns US-made F-16 jets and ageing Russian Sukhoi jets. In 2022, it accepts to purchase 42 French-made Rafale fighter jets in an US$8.1 billion (S$11 billion) deal. At least 4,000 American and Indonesian soldiers were collaborating in the two-week activities by forces from Australia and Singapore – as well as Japan, which took interest and took part in the drills, like never before. Washington said the drills were not directed at any specific nation.