Jakarta. Indonesia said Thursday that it had decided to buy 12 units of Italy’s M-346 F fighters to train its pilots, although the government once again stayed tight-lipped on the price tag.

Italian defense giant Leonardo recently announced it had booked an Indonesian 12-unit order for the M-346 F multirole light fighter aircraft. Explaining the rationale behind the purchase, Defense Ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait said that the M-346 Fs would teach Indonesian Air Force pilots how to fly modern aircraft following the expansion of their fleet.

“The [Indonesian Air Force] will operate multiple modern aircraft and helicopters. So we need a platform that can help our pilots quickly adapt to state-of-the-art technologies,” Rico told the Jakarta Globe via text.

“Procurement depends on our military’s operational needs for defense system modernization. …  We also pay attention to the personnel readiness, continuity of logistical support, and strengthening the national defense industry,” Rico said.

He refused to disclose the contract value.

The planes — set to be delivered starting in 2030 — also come with what Leonardo describes as the latest “Block 20” configuration. Leonardo has partnered with Esystem Solutions Indonesia under the deal that includes local maintenance. 

“We are here to stay and further expand our contribution and engagement, in both established and new sectors, to deliver the level of technology the country requires in its long-term aerospace and defence development roadmap,” Leonardo boss Lorenzo Mariani said.

The order will likely help Indonesian pilots get used to the French-made Rafale fighters. Jakarta inked an $8.1 billion contract in 2022 for 42 Rafale fighters, with 6 units having already arrived. 

This year’s defense-related budget is capped at Rp 337 trillion($18.8 billion) in this year. The Defense Ministry will get no more than Rp 187.1 trillion, with almost Rp 83.5 trillion going to military upgrades.