Indonesia's skies to be monitored by 13 new French-made radars

Indonesia has begun receiving long-range air-surveillance radars GM403 made by Thales to bolster the national airspace monitoring system of the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU). The radar is part of a 13-unit GM403 order placed by Indonesia in 2023 through a partnership between Thales and PT Len Industri. The first two radars have been delivered to Indonesia starting in 2025, with the remaining 11 radars expected to follow within the next 12 months. The radar units will be connected to Thales’ Air C4I SkyView system, which provides a comprehensive view of Indonesia’s airspace. Thales says strengthening the air surveillance system is important given Indonesia’s vast archipelago and complex air security challenges. In addition to radar handovers, the cooperation includes a technology transfer programme and the development of long-term in-country technical support capabilities. According to Thales and PT Len Industri, the partnership is expected to bolster Indonesia’s ability to build a more autonomous air surveillance command and control (C2) system. The collaboration is also said to open opportunities for developing new radar technologies, transferring expertise to Indonesian personnel, and long-term maintenance support for the TNI AU radars. ‘We are proud to have shipped the first two radars to Indonesia and we want to deepen this successful partnership further,’ Bonassi said. He added that Thales is committed to helping strengthen Indonesia’s defence industry through the development of local knowledge, industrial capabilities, and closer technical support to end users. The GM403 itself is a long-range 3D air-surveillance radar designed to detect various air threats, including fighter aircraft, drones, and missiles, over a wide area.