Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu discussed a training program for Indonesian Air Force (AU) pilots who will operate Dasaault Rafale fighter jets.

Subianto in a statement  here on Friday, said that the training program is important to strengthen the Indonesian Air Force’s combat power with the presence of Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft made in France.

“So, Indonesian Air Force pilots must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to operate the 4.5 generation fighter jet from France,” Subianto said at the Hotel de Brienne, France, on Thursday .

In addition to cooperation in the development of the primary weapons system (alutsista), Indonesia and France have also committed to increasing defense cooperation in the fields of training and education.

Earlier, the Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Air Force (Kasau), Air Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo, said that the air force has sent six pilots for training so they can fly the 4.5 generation Rafale fighter jets that Indonesia has purchased from France.

“We have sent six pilots and eight technicians to France to undergo training,” Prasetyo said on the sidelines of a national seminar on the “Challenges of the Indonesian Air Force in the Development of Aviation Electronics Technology” at the Puri Ardhya Garini Building, Halim Perdanakusuma, Jakarta, on November 8.

According to Prasetyo, the pilots and technicians will undergo education and training in France for three months.

“This is not long, only three months,” he said.

The Ministry of Defense also signed a cooperation contract to purchase six Rafale fighter aircraft in February 2022.

He said Indonesia will purchase defense equipment for multirole combat aircraft, including 42 Rafale planes.

“We started by signing the first contract for six planes,” Subianto said.

Furthermore, this cooperation will be followed by the signing of contracts for 36 more aircraft, with the support of weapons training and the required simulators.

Source: Antara News