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Indonesia is planning to place an order for jet trainers and is interested in expanding its fleet of fighters, helicopters and fixed-wing transports. The country’s defense minister, Purnomo Yusgiantoro, says the three finalists in the jet trainer competition are from South Korea, Russia and the Czech Republic. Industry executives say the types are the Korea Aerospace Industries T-50, Yakovlev Yak-130 and Aero Vodochody L-159, respectively. Purnomo tells AVIATION WEEK that a decision will be made soon and Indonesia plans to order 16 aircraft, enough for one squadron. “It is already in the final process,” he says, without noting a definite...

The air forces of Singapore and Indonesia began a 10-day joint exercise dubbed Elang Indopura 16/10 in West Nusatengara (NTB), an Indonesian Air Force spokesman said. "During the joint exercise, elements from the two air forces will do command post and field maneuvers," the Indonesian Air Force Headquarters` chief information officer, Air Commodore Bambang Samedro, said here Wednesday. The maneuvers would include one-to-one and even one-to-two air battles (dog fights) over Rembiga Airbase in West Nusa Tenggara, he said. The Indonesian Air Force as well as its Singaporean counterpart were represented in the joint exercise by F-16 Fighting Falcons with...

Indonesian Military chief Adm. Agus Suhartono said he has been studying an offer of two squadrons of F-16 A/B Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the US. He said although it was a grant, he had to calculate the cost of maintaining the 24 aircraft. Indonesia-US ties were also a consideration, he said as quoted by Antara news agency. The Obama administration lifted the military embargo on Indonesia in July due to “improvement on human rights”. The embargo was levied more than a decade ago after repeated human rights abuses in Timor Leste perpetrated by the Indonesian Military. Budget concerns forced...

Indonesia and South Korea are getting ready to sign an MoU on the joint-development of a KFX fighter jet program (dubbed Boramae) later this year, following a letter of intent in March 2009 on Indonesian participation in a KFX study. When enacted, the MOU will provide a breakthrough for both countries in terms of bilateral defense collaboration and aircraft technology indigenization. The defense community and members of parliament believe that the cooperation will help the revitalization of the Indonesian defense industry. MPs urged the government to conduct a feasibility test before embarking on a US$2 billion venture that spans across...