Has Indonesia’s Interest in Russian Fifth-gen Su-57 Jet Led it to Cold-shoulder Boeing F-15EX?

Indonesia would prefer its next fighter purchase to be a fifth generation jet and has been eyeing the Russian Su-57 stealth fighter closely during  recent air show displays and in confidential talks with Moscow.

Sources told Defensemirror.com that after aborting a deal to buy the Su-35 in 2022 under American pressure, Jakarta sought the fifth generation F-35 which was refused by the Biden administration. Instead it was offered the twice as expensive F-15EX (compared to the Su-35).

Boeing announced the termination of its campaign to sell the F-15EX to Indonesia at the Singapore Air Show earlier this week due to lack of response from Indonesia.

Prodded by Washington, Indonesia signed an MoU with Boeing to purchase up to 24 F-15EX aircraft in August 2023. However there have been no negotiations between Jakarta and Boeing over the past two years to advance the sale.

The interest in the Su-57 is further perked as Moscow offers transfer of technology to assemble the aircraft in Indonesia, something that Jakarta is keen to grasp to develop its own aircraft industry.

In the meantime, Indonesia progressed on its plan to acquire Rafale jets and received the first three of them earlier this month. The sources said that beyond the Rafale, Jakarta would go in for aircraft which would be contemporary for several decades and have features such as manned-unmanned teaming, advanced networking and ability to fire long range and hypersonic weapons.

Jakarta has been receiving briefings regarding the performance of the Su-57 in Ukraine and is a good candidate for the Su-57 together with India, a Russian source suggested.