Indonesian Air Force’s First Rafale Takes Maiden Flight.

Sept 2025 : Indonesia is procuring 16 dual-seat and 26 single seat Rafales, with deliveries expected to be completed by February 2026, according to Indonesian reports. The Indonesian Air Force’s (TNI Angkatan Udara – TNI AU) first Dassault Rafale F4 made its maiden flight at Dassault’s factory at Bordeaux-Mérignac, as confirmed by Indonesian authorities on September 19^th. 2025.

The twin-seat Rafale F4, tail number T-0301, was observed while it was taxiing on the facility’s runway three days prior, on September 16^th. for ground trials ahead of the 19^th. September first test flight. The logo of the Skadron Udara 12, also known as the “Black Panthers”, was visible just below the canopy. Both the front and the rear seat were occupied.

The Rafale bears a striking two-tone gray camouflage scheme, sporting full TNI-AU colours and markings. It is one of the 42 Jakarta is procuring from Dassault in an $8.1 billion deal announced on Feb. 10, 2022. Of the 42, 16 are dual-seat seat jets, while the remaining 26 are single-seat jets, and will be operated by the service’s 6th Air Wing. The 12th Air Squadron at Roesmin Nurajdin Air Force Base (AFB), one of the 6th AW’s constituent units, will be the first one to operate the French jet.

The French fighters (Rafale’s) will mark the retirement of Indonesia’s roughly 30 U.S. made F-16s, 05 Russian Su-27SKM and 11 Su-30MK2 Flankers, according to figures by the Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs. The country also operates 21 British-made BAE Hawk 200 as light attack aircraft, as per the 2025 World Air Forces report. Additionally, the country has signed up for future procurement of both the South Korean KAI KF-21 Boramae and the Turkish TAI Kaan. It also operates 06 KAI T-50 Golden Eagles, designated T-50i, and, on July 20^th., 2021, signed another $240 million contract for 06 more.

The first flight of the twin-seat TNI AU Rafale came days after the service’s Chief of Staff Marshal Tonny Harjono quoted on September 13^th. who said that the first jets are expected to reach the southeast Asian country beginning in February 2026. “We plan to receive the first batch of three aircraft between February and March 2026”, followed by a second batch in April 2026, until the deliveries of 42 airframes is complete.

Harjono noted that the induction of the Rafale fighter jets “will significantly strengthen the Air Force’s defense capabilities, which are currently supported by aircraft such as the T-80, Hawk 100/200, Sukhoi Su-30, and F-16”. The commander also touched upon the “maintenance facilities have been prepared and technicians assigned to support Rafale operations, ensuring the aircraft will function properly”. Furthermore, he has expressed hope that the fighter jets would arrive on time and soon be operated by Indonesian Air Force pilots to safeguard national airspace. Indonesia’s order for the Rafale was split in a first-phase procurement contract in September 2022 for 06 units, followed by an August 2023 deal for 18 additional units, and a year later the final 18, making up the 42 aircraft, as per head the then MoD spokesperson Brigadier General Edwin Adrian Sumantha.

The TNI AU also revealed, that four pilots of the Pilot Training Batch 1 and 12 technicians were in France at the time, receiving initial training on the Rafale under the Organisational Level of Maintenance (OLM) Technical programs, expected to last until December 2025. Led by Lieutenant Colonnel Pnb Binggi Nobel, Head of the Operations Division of Supadio Air Force Base, the ground personnel will train in both classrooms and hangar on “vector, avionics and armaments” while the aviators will “deepen their knowledge of Rafale systems and operating procedures before undergoing simulator and flight training phases, mastering mission simulations and flight exercises”.

Indonesia is also likely to expand its Rafale order, after Presidents Prabowo Subianto and Emmanuel Macron signed on 28^th. May a “preliminary defense pact” through a Letter of Intent. The pact could lead to “new orders of military equipment from Paris, including Rafale jets and Scorpene submarines”, said Macron. “I am delighted that the letter of intent signed today could open up a new perspective with new orders for Rafales, Scorpenes, light frigates”, French President Macron said at a joint press conference with Subianto. The latter did not mention the new pact, but called France one of Indonesia’s main partners in upgrading military hardware, including the development of the defense industry through joint production and technology transfers.

Jakarta has already contracted 02 Scorpene submarines with France’s Naval Group and 13 long-range surveillance radars from Thales, as per contracts inked in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Team Maverick