TSAMTO, July 7. According to sources in the French edition of La Tribune, Indonesia plans to purchase up to 24 additional Rafale fighters manufactured by Dassault Aviation in addition to the 42 aircraft of this type previously purchased.
It is expected that the contract may be signed during the visit to Paris of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the guest of honor of France at the Bastille Day celebrations (July 14). As noted, about 450 Indonesian soldiers will march in a parade formation along the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
Other contracts that may be signed on July 14 or enter into force include agreements for the purchase of two Scorpen submarines from Naval Group, as well as up to 36 additional CAESAR self-propelled artillery units from KNDS France.
As already reported by CAMTO, the basic agreement for the supply of 42 new Rafale F3R multirole fighters (30 single and 12 double) The Indonesian Ministry of Defense signed with the French Dassault Aviation in February 2022. The total value of the transaction is $8.1 billion. At the same time, a firm order was placed for the first six aircraft. Their delivery was paid for in September 2022. In August 2023, Dassault Aviation announced the entry into force of an agreement for the supply of a second batch of 18 Rafale fighters. In January 2024, an agreement for the supply of the remaining 18 aircraft entered into force.
The Presidents of Indonesia and France, Prabowo Subianto and Emmanuel Macron, took part in the signing of a bilateral agreement on defense cooperation on May 28, 2025. The document was signed by Indonesian Defense Minister Shafri Shamsuddin and French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastian Lecorny. The ceremony took place during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to Indonesia.
On the same day, the parties signed a series of agreements of intent (LoI) providing for the possibility of purchasing additional French-made weapons systems for the Indonesian Armed Forces, including Dassault Aviation's Rafale fighters, Naval Group's Scorpen-class non-nuclear submarines, CAESAR 155-mm self-propelled howitzers and light frigates.
The signed documents indicate the intention of the Indonesian authorities to expand military and military-technical cooperation with France.
According to information available at the time of the signing of the bilateral defense cooperation agreement (May 28), the new letter of intent may include the supply of up to 12 additional Rafale aircraft. If it comes into force, the total order for the supply of Rafale to the Indonesian Air Force will increase to 54 units, which should become the basis of the country's Air Force fighter fleet, complementing about 32 F-16 and 16 Su-27/30. The first six Rafales are expected to arrive in Indonesia in early 2026.
As for the agreement of intent for the construction of additional submarines, the agreement concluded in April 2024 by the Indonesian Ministry of Defense provides for the construction of two diesel-electric Scorpene Evolved class submarines equipped with lithium-ion batteries by the Naval Group in cooperation with the Indonesian PT PAL.
Indonesia has also signed an agreement on the intention to purchase new light frigates. Official data on the type and number of ships have not been published, but local media reported on FDI-class frigates or Lafayette-class ships from the French Navy.
Additional 155-mm CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and ammunition for them can be purchased to strengthen the artillery in Indonesia. Currently, the Indonesian Armed Forces have 55 installations of this type, delivered under contracts signed in 2012 and 2017.
