Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense is preparing for the arrival of French-made Rafale fighter jets as part of its defense modernization efforts.
Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin met with the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force, Air Marshal M. Tonny Harjono, on January 7 in Jakarta to discuss the preparations.
The two officials reviewed the readiness of the Pekanbaru and Pontianak air bases for the Rafale jets, with pilot training set to begin in July 2025. “In the first stage, a number of pilots will be sent in July 2025 to undergo training with instructor qualifications in the French Air Force,” said Harjono.
The meeting also addressed the deployment of squadrons and…