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Indonesia - F-15ID Eagle II

On 21 August 2023, the Republic of Indonesia and Boeing shared their commitment to finalize the sale of 24 F-15EX aircraft to Indonesia, subject to U.S. government approval, during a visit of Indonesia’s Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto to the United States. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by Air Vice Marshal Yusuf Jauhari, Head of Defense Facilities Agency, Indonesia Ministry of Defense, and Mark Sears, Boeing Fighters vice president and program manager, took place today at the company’s St. Louis facility following a tour of the F-15EX production line.

“We are pleased to announce our commitment to procure the critical F-15EX fighter capability for Indonesia,” said Minister Subianto who witnessed the MoU signing. “This state-of-the-art fighter will protect and secure our nation with its advanced capabilities.”

“We have invested years of expertise into developing the F-15EX capabilities. There is no other fighter like the F-15 in the world, and this platform will put Indonesia at the top of air dominance capabilities,” said Sears. “Boeing is ready to support this effort and remains a committed partner to the U.S. government in advancing international security objectives with allies and partners around the world.”

The Indonesian Air Force decided to no longer 'pursue' the Russian-made Sukhoi SU-35 to strengthen its combat fleet, and the choice has narrowed to two, namely the US-made Boeing F-15EX, and the French-made Dassault Rafale. "We want a 4.5 generation aircraft and we want a heavy or medium and above. Because we currently have the F-16, we already have the Russian-made Sukhoi," said Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo. The decision to propose to the US F-15 EX and the French Rafale, apart from budget reasons, was also due to the United States' continuing to threaten CAATSA sanctions if Indonesia approved its plan to buy the Russian Su-35.

Comparing the F-15EX with the Rafale doesn't seem right. The two are in different categories, for different battles. Like comparing a submachine gun to a sniper rifle, the two are important, lethal, but certainly different. The F-15EX is a larger aircraft with multiple capabilities, it flies faster than the Rafale, and is capable of carrying much more weaponry. Rafale also has an advantage. This fighter has a much smaller Radar Cross Section (RCS).

The Indonesian Air Force itself plans to bring in three squadrons, or approximately 30 aircraft. Marshal Fadjar also stated that the team from the F15 EX had met him, and if Indonesia ordered the fighter aircraft at this time, it would be possible to strengthen the Indonesian air fleet at the earliest in 2027.

The F-15EX fighter aircraft was developed by Boeing to complement the attack power of the latest US warplanes, namely the F-35 made by Lockheed Martin. This aircraft is the latest variant of the legendary F-15 series. The F-35 itself is a stealth aircraft capable of avoiding detection by enemy radar, but the F-15EX is capable of flying higher, farther and faster and carrying more weaponry. The two will complement each other in various types of battle scenarios. The F-35 will be at the forefront while the F-15EX can still be the workhorse.

The F-15EX itself is based on the F-15E variant sold to Qatar and Saudi Arabia in the last decade. According to the US Air Force, the F-15EX differs from its predecessors in a system architecture that allows for easy upgrades. The F-15EX will have new fly-by-wire flight controls, a new electronic warfare system and an advanced cockpit system and will be equipped for net-centric warfare.

In terms of weight and dimensions, the F-15EX is significantly larger than the Rafale. The F-15EX has a maximum take-off weight of around 36 tonnes. Boeing claims the F-15EX can carry more than 13 tonnes of weapons and fuel under its wings and fuselage, which is well above the Rafale's published payload capacity of 9.5 tonnes. In addition, the F-15EX has conformal fuel tanks for increased range and advanced navigation equipment for low-level ground attack missions. Boeing claims a single F-15EX can carry up to 22 air-to-air missiles, far more than any fighter currently produced.

The Rafale and F-15 have competed heavily in aircraft tenders in previous years. Both aircraft were 'finalists' in contracts in South Korea and Singapore in the early 2000s. In 2002, South Korea chose the F-15E variant over the Rafale in a deal for 40 jets, while in 2005, Singapore also selected the US jet. The success of the F-15E, then, was attributed to the relative maturity of the design, compared to the Rafale, which was then new to the French Air Force ecosystem.

On 10 February 2022 the US State Department made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Indonesia of F-15ID Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $13.9 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale. The Government of Indonesia requested to buy up to thirty-six (36) F-15ID aircraft; eighty-seven (87) F110-GE-129 or F100-PW-229 engines (72 installed, 15 spares); forty-five (45) AN/APG-82(v)1 Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radars (36 installed, 9 spares); forty-five (45) AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability Systems (EPAWSS) (36 installed, 9 spares); forty-eight (48) Advanced Display Core Processor (ADCP) II digital computers (36 installed, 12 spares); eighty (80) Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS) (72 installed, 8 spares); ninety-two (92) Embedded Global Positioning Systems (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (EGI) security devices; forty (40) AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN navigation pods (36 installed, 4 spares); forty (40) AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) (36 installed, 4 spares); one hundred fifty-six (156) LAU-128 launchers (144 installed, 12 spares); and forty (40) M61A “Vulcan” gun systems (36 installed, 4 spares). Also included are Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) (P5 CTS) training pods and support equipment; MS-110 Recce Pods; AN/ASG-34 Infrared Search and Track International; AN/ALE-47 counter-measures dispenser; AN/PYQ Simple Key Loaders; additional precision navigation, secure communications and cryptographic equipment; Electronic Combat International Security Assistance Program (ECISAP) support; Joint Mission Planning Systems (JMPS); Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and support equipment and spares; conformal fuel tanks; chaff and flares; aircraft and personnel support and test equipment; pylons, launcher adaptors, weapons interfaces, fuel tanks, and attached hardware; travel pods, precision measurement equipment laboratory, calibration, and simulators; spare and repair parts, repair and return services; maps, publications, and technical documentation; studies and surveys; classified/unclassified software and software support; personnel training and training equipment; facilities and facility management, design and/or construction services; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support.