Russia Expects Indonesia’s Procurement of 11 Sukhoi Su-35 “Flanker-E” Fighter Jets to Proceed

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Russia anticipates that the contract to supply Su-35 fighter jets to Indonesia will eventually proceed, despite having been put on hold by Jakarta.

This was conveyed by Russia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergey Tolchenov, in a recent interview with the state news agency TASS.

“The contract has not been canceled or terminated, only frozen. We expect that sooner or later it will be executed. When or how that happens is a decision for the Indonesian government to make,” he stated.

“As far as we understand, they remain interested in Russian aerospace equipment,” he added.

The ambassador noted that no clear explanation has been provided for the suspension of the $1.14 billion (RM4.9 billion) contract involving 11 Su-35 “Flanker-E” jets, though it is likely due to “complicated considerations.”

In March 2020, international media reported that Indonesian authorities had decided to halt the procurement of the Russian-made jets, citing financial constraints during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, there were reports suggesting that the United States was prepared to impose sanctions on Indonesia under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) if it proceeded with the Su-35 acquisition.

Since freezing the Su-35 deal, Indonesia has signed a contract to procure 42 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation in 2022.

At the same time, Jakarta is also in ongoing negotiations with the United States to acquire a fleet of F-15EX fighter jets.

The Rafale acquisition is estimated to cost approximately RM32 billion.

In May, a report quoting Indonesia’s ambassador to Russia, Jose Tavares, confirmed that the Su-35 procurement contract remains valid, despite speculations about its cancellation due to CAATSA-related concerns.

Tavares noted that Indonesia is waiting for the right moment to proceed with the contract.

He explained that the postponement was aimed at avoiding potential “discomforts,” believed to refer to threats of sanctions or other pressures from Western powers.

Western nations are known to favor Indonesia acquiring their aircraft, and the Su-35 contract, if executed, would present a significant challenge to their efforts.

Indonesia previously acquired 10 Su-27 fighters in 2003 and six Su-30Mk3 fighters in 2013.

The contract for the 11 Su-35 jets was initially signed in early 2018.

– DSA