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On February 10, Indonesian Minister of Defence, Prabowo Subianto, and French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly, sealed a US$8.1 billion deal for the procurement of six ‘newest variants’ of Dassault Rafale fighters which should be followed by a future acquisition of 36 additional aircraft. The procurement was dubbed as Jakarta’s biggest arms purchase ambition since the 1960s. However, less than 24 hours after the Rafale deal, the US State Department issued a statement in which it approved Jakarta’s request to procure 36 Boeing F-15ID/EX ‘Eagle II’ with an estimated total cost of US$13.9 billion.

Which one is more suitable for Indonesia? Should Indonesia choose one of the two aircraft or both? Then, what challenges will Indonesia face in procuring these aircraft?