Jakarta. Indonesia is preparing a special ceremony to welcome the next batch of French-made Rafale fighter jets, scheduled to arrive in mid-2026 as part of a 42-aircraft procurement program for the Indonesian Air Force.

The Defense Ministry said three additional Rafale jets will be delivered in the coming months or weeks, following the arrival last month of the first three aircraft manufactured by Dassault Aviation. The initial batch is now stationed at Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, Riau.

“We are awaiting the next batch, which is expected in mid-2026,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Brig. Gen. Rico Ricardo Sirait said in Jakarta recently.

According to Rico, the arrival of the next three jets will be marked by a centralized reception ceremony led by President Prabowo Subianto.

“There will be an official welcoming event prepared centrally and held together with the President. We are waiting for the exact date,” he said.

Indonesia’s Rafale acquisition has been structured in phases. The first contract for six aircraft was signed in 2022, followed by a second contract for 18 jets in August 2023, when Prabowo was still serving as defense minister. A third phase for another 18 aircraft was later agreed, bringing the total order to 42, positioning Indonesia among the largest Rafale operators outside France.

Although the total contract value has not been disclosed, a single Rafale jet is estimated to cost around $115 million.

The Rafale is classified as a 4.5-generation multirole fighter, capable of carrying out multiple mission types in a single sortie — including air superiority (dogfighting), ground strikes, anti-ship operations, and reconnaissance.

The aircraft’s capabilities align with Indonesia’s defense requirements, given its vast airspace and archipelagic geography spanning thousands of islands.

According to Dassault Aviation, the Rafale has a maximum speed of Mach 1.8, a combat radius of approximately 1,850 kilometers, and a maximum ferry range of up to 3,700 kilometers. It can carry 4.7 tons of internal fuel, with an additional 6.7 tons externally to support long-range missions.

The jet is equipped with the RBE2 AESA radar, capable of detecting and tracking multiple targets simultaneously while resisting electronic jamming.

In terms of armament, the Rafale can carry Meteor and MICA air-to-air missiles, the SCALP-EG cruise missile with a range exceeding 300 kilometers for ground strikes, and Exocet anti-ship missiles for maritime operations.