Prabowo Hands Over 6 Rafale Fighter Jets to TNI; Full Specifications Revealed
President Prabowo Subianto handed over six Dassault Rafale fighter jets to the TNI during an event held at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base on Monday, 18 May 2026. The handover was performed symbolically by presenting the keys to the Commander of the TNI, Agus Subiyanto.
The Rafale is a fighter aircraft manufactured by the French company Dassault Aviation. Indonesia is recorded as one of the users of these jets following the Ministry of Defence’s decision to purchase a total of 42 Rafale units. The procurement is being conducted in stages, including a third-phase contract for an additional 18 units. The arrival of the Rafale serves as a key component in strengthening the TNI’s main weaponry systems (alutsista).
According to data from the official Dassault Aviation website, the Rafale features a wingspan of 10.9 metres, a length of 15.3 metres, and a height of 5.3 metres. The aircraft has an empty weight of approximately 10 tonnes and a maximum take-off weight of up to 24.5 tonnes.
In terms of performance, the Rafale is equipped with two Snecma M88-4E engines providing a maximum thrust of 2 x 7.5 tonnes. The fighter jet is capable of reaching a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, or approximately 750 knots. The Rafale also possesses high manoeuvrability with a tolerance of up to +9 G. The aircraft can fly to a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet and requires a runway of only about 450 metres for take-off and landing.
The cockpit features Martin-Baker Mark 16F ejection seats. Its defensive system is equipped with SPECTRA (Système de Protection et d’Évitement des Conduites de Tir du Rafale) technology, while its radar utilises Thales RBE2 AA AESA technology. The fighter jet can be armed with various types of missiles depending on the purchase package, ranging from SCALP-EG Storm Shadow cruise missiles and AASM Hammer air-to-ground missiles to AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. The estimated price of the Rafale is reported to be around USD 125 million per unit, depending on the configuration and the weaponry package included.