As reported by Intelligence Online on May 26, 2025, Indonesia is in the process of formalizing a plan to acquire 42 second-hand Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon fighter aircraft from China, sourced directly from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) inventory. The proposal, reported by multiple sources and partially confirmed in a now-deleted Facebook post by Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, indicates that Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) pilots are expected to be sent to China for training on the J-10 platform.
The procurement would represent a rapid-response solution to Indonesia’s aging fleet and could be officially announced during the Indo Defence Expo & Forum, scheduled for June 11–14, 2025. The J-10s would reportedly be removed from operational PLAAF squadrons, allowing accelerated transfer, and would likely undergo necessary modifications to meet Indonesian operational and export compliance requirements before handover.
The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has pursued multiple combat aircraft procurement efforts over the past decade following delays in replacing its retired Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II fleet. In 2015, the government planned to acquire 16 Su-35 Flanker fighters from Russia, but only 11 were contracted in 2018, with deliveries never materializing. This program was ultimately cancelled in 2021 due to the risk of U.S. secondary sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), as confirmed by the Indonesian Ministry of Defense in 2023. Indonesia subsequently pivoted toward Western suppliers, signing contracts with Dassault Aviation in 2022 for 42 Rafale F4 fighters. By August 2023, 24 aircraft had been officially ordered in two batches. Concurrently, Indonesia signed a memorandum with Boeing in 2023 for 24 F-15EX Eagle II aircraft, with the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency estimating the deal’s value at up to $13.9 billion. The F-15EXs would be designated F-15IDN in Indonesian service.