Prabowo Hands Over Rafale Fighter Jets and Falcon 8X to TNI
President Prabowo Subianto attended the handover ceremony for the Indonesian National Armed Forces’ (TNI) main weapons systems (alutsista) at the Base Ops of Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, East Jakarta, on Monday, 18 May 2026. The President arrived at the location at approximately 09:50 WIB, accompanied by State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya.
During the event, the President inspected various military assets on display at Halim Air Base alongside Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, and Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono. In this ceremony, President Prabowo handed over various defence tools to the TNI. These assets include six Dassault Aviation Rafale Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), four Dassault Falcon 8X aircraft, one Airbus A400M Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), GM403 Ground Control Intervention (GCI) radar, as well as Hammer smart weapon systems and Meteor missiles. Indonesia had previously received two Falcon 8X aircraft and one Airbus A400M.
The military assets were arranged in a triangular formation on the apron of the Halim Perdanakusuma Base Ops. The French-made Rafale fighter jets were positioned at the front, with Meteor missiles and Hammer smart weapons lined up nearby. The Falcon 8X aircraft were positioned behind the Rafale jets, while the Airbus A400M unit was placed at the rear of the apron.
President Prabowo symbolically commenced the handover process by unveiling the Squadron 12 logo and performing a traditional water sprinkling ceremony on one of the Rafale jets. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have just officially received the addition of military assets for the air force,” Prabowo stated at Halim Perdanakusuma on Monday.
This expansion of defence equipment is part of the national military modernisation programme initiated by Prabowo during his tenure as Minister of Defence from 2019 to 2024. The Chairman of the Gerindra Party claimed that this addition of weaponry serves as a milestone in strengthening national defence capabilities. According to the Indonesian Government Communication Agency, the presence of the Rafale fighter jets is expected to enhance Indonesia’s air combat capabilities in both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. Meanwhile, the Falcon 8X aircraft are intended to support national strategic mobility and surveillance missions, while the A400M MRTT will strengthen logistics transport and aerial refueling capabilities for long-range operations. Additionally, the GCI GM403 radar will play a vital role in early detection systems and national air defence control to maintain the sovereignty of the nation’s airspace.