December 20, 2025 | 07:32 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has clarified that there has been no decision yet regarding the acquisition of M-346FA fighter jets from Italy for the Indonesian Air Force. This clarification comes after rumors of talks to purchase 18 units of the aircraft.
Head of Information Bureau of the Ministry of Defense Secretariat General, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, said the discussions on the M-346FA aircraft is still in the early stages.
"There has been no decision to purchase M-346FA aircraft from Italy. The discussion process is still ongoing and has not been finalized," Rico told Tempo on Saturday, December 20, 2025.
This issue emerged after a social media post mentioned that Indonesia is exploring the purchase of the fighter jets, adding that they are equipped with the Grifo-EK active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and supported by air combat and electronic warfare training.
Rico emphasized that the Ministry of Defense is currently unable to provide any details regarding the procurement plan. The early nature of the discussion prevented the government from confirming the procurement timeline, the number of units, and the estimated unit price of the aircraft.
He also added that the government will officially announce the procurement of weapons after all necessary processes have been conducted. "If there is a decision in the future, it will be announced through the government's official channels," Rico said.
Read: Facts About the Indonesia-South Korea KF-21 Fighter Jet Project
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