- Kemhan RI
Jakarta – The Indonesian Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto and U.S. planemaker Boeing have agreed on the sale of 24 F-15EX fighter jets to help modernise the Southeast Asian country's ageing fleet, the ministry and the company said.
The signing of agreement was uploaded by Minister Prabowo Subianto through his official Instagram account, @Prabowo on Tuesday.
"MoU signing commitment to purchase 24 F-15EX Fighter Aircraft Units. The Boeing Company, St. Louis, Missouri," wrote Minister Subianto on Tuesday.
In addition to witnessing the signing of the MoU on the purchase of fighter jet, Minister Subianto was also seen touring with several officials of The Boeing Company. The defense minister also uploaded a photo containing a miniature of the fighter jet through his Instagram account.
As known, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto is currently on a working visit to the United States. Before meeting with the leadership of The Boeing Company, Minister Subianto first celebrated Indonesia's 78th anniversary with Indonesian citizens living in the United States.
Earlier in November 2022, Defense Minister confirmed that the plan to purchase F-15 fighter jets was in an advanced stage and awaiting final approval from the government.
The assurance was conveyed by Defense Minister Prabowo after holding one-on-one talks with US Defense Minister Lloyd J. Austin III at the Indonesian Ministry of Defense office, Jakarta.
According to the defense minister, Boeing has agreed to the financial offer and believes that the package is affordable. The defense minister also stated that the negotiations had gone very well.
Menhan Prabowo Subianto MoU pembelian 24 unit pesawat tempur F-15EX dari AS
- Kemhan
The US State Department approved the potential sale of F-15 fighter jets and related equipment to Indonesia in February 2022.
"We certainly support Defence Minister Prabowo's efforts to continue modernizing their defence systems and capabilities and we would like to continue to assist in any way we can. The acquisition of the F15 certainly enhances interoperability," Austin said.
The Boeing-built F-15EX fighter is the latest variant of the long-running F-15 family of aircraft. This aircraft has several advantages including Payload Capability: The F-15EX can carry a payload of up to 29,500 pounds (about 13,380 kilograms).
This makes it capable of carrying more weapons than previous generation fighters. High Engine Performance: equipped with modern engines that provide higher speed and agility.
In addition, Robust Aircraft Structure: designed to have a service life of up to 20,000 flight hours, which provides advantages in terms of durability and long operational range, Advanced Avionics System: The F-15EX is equipped with advanced radar systems and other avionics that allow the aircraft to detect and track targets with high accuracy.
Survivability: the aircraft has electronic protection, including advanced electronic warfare systems to enhance battlefield survivability.
Plus Weapon Integration: The F-15EX can be equipped with various types of weapons, ranging from air-to-air missiles, bombs, to other specialized weapons, Ease of Maintenance.
One of the design goals of the F-15EX is to minimize operational and maintenance costs, and extend the period between maintenance.
Multi-Mission Capability: The F-15EX can be operated in a wide range of missions, from air superiority, to ground attack, to maritime operations, and Connectivity with Other Systems: the aircraft is designed to communicate and operate well within the wider battle network, so it can collaborate with other systems such as satellites, UAVs, and other aircraft.
All these advantages make the F-15EX one of the most advanced and versatile fighters in the world today.
