Indonesia’s PT Len Industri, Thales Form Joint Venture to Develop Surveillance Radars

Thales is forming a joint venture with Indonesian defence firm PT Len Industri to collaborate on air surveillance radars, Command & Control systems, and a national Air Operations Centre.

A Centre of Excellence, the first of its kind in Indonesia, will be created to meet the air surveillance requirements of the Indonesian Air Force, enhancing airspace protection capabilities.

The JV is designed to be flexible, allowing for future expansion into various areas, including C4ISR, military satellites, electronic warfare, national data links, and national combat management systems.

The JV will focus initially on the Indonesian Air Force’s air operations, including air surveillance radars and Command & Control (C2) systems, with Thales contributing its expertise in radar technology and knowledge transfer. It will also handle the development of a national Air Operations Centre. Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) services will be conducted at PT Len’s facility in Subang.

Thales said this partnership aims to provide localized engineering, maintenance, and services with high operational availability. The JV aligns with Indonesia’s “Made-in-Indonesia” strategy, boosting sovereign capabilities and supporting DEFEND ID’s goal of increasing the use of locally-manufactured components, facilitating Indonesia’s ability to export its defence products globally.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced in April that Thales has accelerated the production of air surveillance radars, with plans to double the output of its Ground Master (GM) radars. This increase in production is in response to growing international demand, driven largely by heightened tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.