(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Indonesia, reportedly has not officially canceled its purchase of the Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, as the Southeast Asian country is still “hopeful” of acquiring the aircraft.
According to media reports, Moscow is awaiting an official statement from Jakarta regarding the cancellation of the Su-35 (Flanker-E) acquisition.
Presently, reports from Russian media, citing senior officials, state that the initial agreement between Moscow and Jakarta for the fighter jets remains in effect.
Jakarta reportedly hopes to be exempt from sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), enabling it to proceed with the Su-35 purchase.
Indonesia may be optimistic about receiving a waiver similar to India, which was exempted from CAATSA sanctions despite acquiring the Russian-made S-400 “Triumf” air defense system.
Concerns over CAATSA sanctions for purchasing the Su-35 have compelled Indonesia to abandon its desire to own the high-performance fighter aircraft.
Since making this decision, Indonesia has acquired 42 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation, while also continuing negotiations with the United States for the acquisition of several F-15EX fighter jets.
As tensions between the United States and Russia escalate, the future of Russia’s Sukhoi Su-35 fighter aircraft is increasingly uncertain, with countries cancelling their intent to purchase due to CAATSA concerns.
The export prospects for the 4+++ generation Su-35 have dimmed as Indonesia and Egypt decide to cancel their acquisitions, citing various reasons believed to be linked to concerns over the negative impacts of U.S. sanctions under CAATSA.
Egypt reportedly canceled its Su-35 purchase after questioning the capability of the Irbis-E radar compared to that of its Rafale jets.
The Egyptian military conducted tests on the Su-35’s Irbis-E radar, finding it less capable than the Rafale’s radar system.
However, analysts believe that the primary reason for Egypt’s change in stance is continuous U.S. pressure on Cairo to cancel the Russian fighter jet purchase.
As is well known, Washington is a major contributor to the government led by Gen. Fatah El-Sisi, providing approximately $3 billion annually in military aid to Egypt. — DSA