Indonesia and South Korea Finalise Advanced Air Combat System Cooperation
Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin received a visit from South Korean Ambassador H.E. Yoon Soon Gu at the Ministry of Defence office in Jakarta on Tuesday. The meeting focused on strengthening the strategic partnership, including the finalisation of advanced fighter jet acquisition.
Head of the Defence Information Bureau, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, stated that the meeting was a follow-up to the directives of the two heads of state to enhance strategic cooperation. “This is a follow-up to the directives of the two heads of state to strengthen strategic cooperation between the two countries,” Rico said.
Both parties discussed several crucial agendas, ranging from optimising the defence dialogue mechanism, military education and training programmes, to the development of weapon systems. A key point was the follow-up on ongoing defence programmes, including finalising the advanced stages of the joint fighter jet development project.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed that all intergovernmental cooperation discussions are proceeding in accordance with applicable Indonesian regulations, mechanisms, and formal procedures. Although the ministry did not detail the specific type of fighter jet discussed in the latest meeting, the diplomatic track record points to a focus on the KF-21 Boramae next-generation fighter jet project.
Indonesia’s involvement in the project has undergone a fundamental shift. The government has confirmed it will no longer participate in joint production status, opting instead for a direct acquisition scheme. “Indonesia is not jointly producing the KF-21, but will purchase it directly from Korea,” said Head of the Defence Logistics Agency, Air Marshal Yusuf Jauhari.
The procurement process for the advanced fighter jets has passed the initial exploratory phase, which faced hurdles in the first quarter of this year, and is now being matured in final-stage negotiations to strengthen the national air defence system.