Success! Prabowo Successfully Delivers 6 Fighter Jets to Indonesia, While Malaysia Faces Setback
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Indonesia has received new primary weaponry systems (alutsista). The official handover was conducted by President Prabowo Subianto to the Indonesian Air Force at Halim Perdanakusuma on Monday (18/05/2026).
The military hardware includes six units of Rafale multirole combat aircraft (MRCA), six Falcon 8X aircraft, two Airbus A400M MRTT aircraft, ground control intercept (GCI) radar, and modern weaponry including Hammer smart weapons and Meteor missiles. President Prabowo personally handed over the equipment to the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, General Agus Subiyante, and subsequently to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono.
Indonesia is not the only nation in Southeast Asia modernising its defence assets; Malaysia is also engaged in such efforts. However, an unfortunate situation has arisen in the neighbouring country, where a major sale has been cancelled.
According to AFP, the Malaysian government recently issued a strong condemnation of the Norwegian government. This follows Oslo’s unilateral decision to cancel export approval for a missile system intended to equip Malaysia’s new warships. The missiles in question are the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) produced by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which were slated for installation on Malaysia’s Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), a project valued at MYR 6 billion (approximately IDR 26.6 trillion).
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government is tightening controls over defence technologies developed within the country, citing significant changes in the European and global security landscape in recent years.
“The export of some of the most sensitive defence technologies developed in Norway will be restricted only to our allies and closest partners,” the ministry stated.
Malaysia had signed the contract in 2018 and had already paid approximately 95% of the contract value. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim described the decision as “unacceptable,” adding that it could jeopardise the nation’s defence readiness. Anwar stated that he had expressed “strong objections” during a telephone call with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, labelling the decision as “unilateral and unacceptable.”
“A signed contract is a serious instrument. It is not confetti that can be scattered at will,” Anwar wrote in a Facebook post.
Anwar warned that the decision would have “serious consequences for Malaysia’s operational defence readiness and the LCS modernisation programme,” adding that the move would undoubtedly have broader impacts on regional balance. He further noted, “If European defence suppliers have the right to renege on promises without penalty, their value as strategic partners will be lost.”
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin told reporters in Kuala Lumpur that his ministry has formed a committee to assess potential legal action against the missile system supplier, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, following the cancellation. “A special committee at the ministerial level has been established to detail these claims, which are not limited to the refund of payments already made, but also include compensation arising from the breach of contract,” said Mohamed Khaled.