Defence Ministry states KF-21 Boramae purchase still in negotiation process

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the government is still in the negotiation process regarding plans to purchase KF-21 Boramae fighter jets from South Korea. “We need to convey that the plans related to the KF-21 Boramae fighter jet are currently still at the negotiation stage. There is no final decision yet on the quantity or procurement scheme,” said the Head of the Defence Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of the Ministry of Defence’s General Secretariat, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, to ANTARA in Jakarta on Thursday. Rico made this statement in response to reports that the South Korean side is ready to deliver 16 units of the KF-21 aircraft in accordance with Indonesia’s request. Nevertheless, Rico did not rule out the possibility that his side would sign a purchase contract for the aircraft, a product of collaboration between Indonesia and South Korea, in the near future. Rico assured that his side would adjust the budget expenditure for purchasing the KF-21 to the country’s financial condition. “The realisation of the procurement contract will very much depend on the availability of the state budget as well as the results of a comprehensive study of the TNI’s operational needs. Currently, the budget requirements are still in the process of calculation and evaluation,” Rico explained. Previously, there were reports circulating that the South Korean side would send 16 units of the KF-21 aircraft to Indonesia. The report was posted on the Instagram account specialising in defence issues @isds.indonesia. In the caption posted by that Instagram account, it was stated that The Korea Times mentioned that Indonesia plans to purchase 16 units, far fewer than the initial plan of 48 units. The Instagram post stated that Indonesia’s purchase quantity has decreased due to budget considerations.