Due to lack of budget, the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is abandoning a controversial purchase of a batch of used Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters. Qatari aircraft would be used as buffers until the arrival of the new Dassault Rafale, acquired in 2022.
In June 2023, the local government announced that it would proceed with plans to acquire 12 Mirage 2000-5 retired by the Qatar Air Force, as an interim measure until the arrival of the new planes. Valued at 733 million Euros, the purchase was defended by Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, who was heavily criticized by the opposition, alleging a lack of resources to maintain the jets in the long term. Subianto, in turn, said that the aircraft still had 70% of their flight hours available.
The decision comes shortly after government spokesman Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak confirmed that TNI-AU chose to postpone the deal due to the country's budget constraints, opting instead to invest in the modernization of aircraft already in the fleet. Days after the purchase was postponed, Indonesia began paying for the third and final batch of Rafales.
The plan may also have been canceled due to suspicion of corruption, on the verge of Indonesia's presidential elections, where Subianto is one of the favorites. According to the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO), the Council of Europe's anti-corruption monitoring body, Dahnil Simanjuntak had agreements with Excalibur International, a company from the Czech Republic that was mediating the negotiations.
The spokesperson rejected the accusations, stating that the GRECO article was intended to manipulate the elections. To the portal Detik, Simanjuntak confirmed the cancellation of the purchase of the fighter jets and said the corruption accusations were unfounded.
According to the survey World Air Forces 2024, Indonesia has 32 fighter jets F-16A/B/C/D, five Sukhoi Su-27 and 11 Su-30. Although powerful and capable, the models are already veterans and a modernization – which has been desired by TNI-AU for some time – is welcome. The combat fleet is completed by BAe Hawk Mk.200 turboprop attack jets A-29 Super Tucano and the KAI T-50 Golden Eagle trainers.
