(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – A twin-seat Rafale B fighter jet has been spotted on the tarmac at Dassault Aviation’s facility in Bordeaux, France, captured in striking images by photographer Swidersk Maciejka as the aircraft prepared for what is believed to be its maiden flight.

The jet, identified as Rafale B serial number T-0301, is widely assessed to be among the first six aircraft scheduled for delivery to Indonesia next year, marking the opening phase of Jakarta’s landmark procurement of French fourth-and-a-half generation fighters.

This sighting follows the first public image of an Indonesian Rafale B that surfaced in August, showing the jet accompanied by four Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) pilots and twelve technical crew undergoing training in France.

The T-0301 Rafale represents part of Indonesia’s initial 24-aircraft order signed under the first tranche of the acquisition, with Jakarta specifically selecting the twin-seat Rafale B optimized for strike missions, tactical training, and complex joint operations.

Dassault Aviation is currently assembling the first six Indonesian aircraft, while an additional 18 Rafales were confirmed earlier this year, bringing the current firm order to 42 fighters.

In the first half of 2025, Dassault reported the completion of seven Rafales—three for the French Air Force and four for export customers, including Indonesia.

The emergence of T-0301 comes as Indonesia is finalizing an expanded defence package with France that will see another 24 Rafales added, doubling Jakarta’s planned follow-on acquisition from 12 to 24 aircraft.

This arrangement builds upon the February 2022 contract for 42 Rafales, structured in three tranches of 6, 18, and 18 units, activated in 2022, 2023, and 2024 respectively.

Once deliveries are completed, Indonesia is set to operate 66 Rafale F4s, making it one of the largest non-European operators of the French multirole fighter.

Jakarta intends to base its Rafales at two strategic airbases: Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base in Pekanbaru, Riau, and Supadio Air Base in Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

These deployments will replace ageing BAE Hawk 100/200 light fighters currently flown by Skadron Udara 1 in Pontianak and Skadron Udara 12 in Pekanbaru.

Analysts believe the positioning of Rafales in Pekanbaru reflects Indonesia’s intent to tighten air surveillance over the Malacca Strait, while stationing them in Pontianak signals enhanced vigilance over the resource-rich Natuna waters.

 

READ: Indonesia’s Rafale T-0301 Rollout: French-Made Fleet Set to Redraw Southeast Asia’s Airpower Map

 

Both airbases have undergone upgrades including reinforced hangars, secure munitions storage, and supporting infrastructure to accommodate the advanced Rafales.

Defence observers interpret the Rafale acquisition as Jakarta’s response to intensifying “grey zone” operations, airspace intrusions, and militarization in the South China Sea and Malacca Strait.

Indonesia’s existing combat fleet, a mix of F-16s, Su-27s, and Su-30s, has been hampered by age, maintenance issues, and geopolitical supply chain disruptions.

Publicly available data indicates TNI-AU operates fewer than 50 fighters in the Fighter (FTR) and Fighter Ground Attack (FGA) categories—insufficient for defending the world’s largest archipelago.

The Rafale F4 standard offers Jakarta a transformative leap with long-range AESA radar, advanced sensor fusion, enhanced electronic counter-countermeasures, and the formidable Spectra electronic warfare suite.

Integration with Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and precision long-range strike munitions ensures Indonesia can intercept threats before they breach its airspace.

Such standoff reach is critical for safeguarding Indonesia’s maritime lifelines, particularly the Malacca Strait, through which a major share of global trade and energy flows.

The Rafale program is complemented by wider Franco-Indonesian defence cooperation, including negotiations over Scorpène-class submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP), bolstering Jakarta’s undersea warfare capability.

Operating a uniform Rafale fleet will deliver streamlined training, unified logistics, and operational flexibility for missions ranging from peacetime patrols to high-intensity combat.

Geopolitically, this upgrade enhances Indonesia’s strategic autonomy, reinforcing its non-aligned stance while demanding respect within an increasingly militarized Indo-Pacific.

For France, Indonesia emerges as a cornerstone in its Indo-Pacific strategy, offering a counterweight to China’s growing military and economic presence through robust maritime defence ties.

With the first deliveries scheduled in early 2026, TNI-AU will evolve from a patchwork fleet into one of the most modern and combat-ready air forces in the region.

This transformation will be closely monitored from Hanoi to Canberra, as regional states reassess their procurement priorities in light of Jakarta’s airpower surge.

Replacing legacy platforms, Indonesia will reinforce its sovereignty, project maritime power, and counter grey-zone threats with unprecedented efficiency.

Priced at approximately USD 130 million (RM610 million) per unit, the full program—including weapons, spares, training, and industrial offsets—is estimated at over USD 8.5 billion (RM40 billion).

More than a purchase, the Rafale deal is a strategic declaration of Indonesia’s intent to shape Indo-Pacific security architecture for the coming decade.

66 Rafales for Indonesia: A Structural Shift in Southeast Asia’s Airpower Balance

Jakarta’s decision to field 66 Rafales sends shockwaves across Southeast Asia, transforming Indonesia from a gap-filler into a true regional airpower.

The scale of the fleet allows TNI-AU to sustain multiple combat-ready squadrons simultaneously, from deterrent patrols over Natuna, to intercept missions in the Malacca Strait, to high-intensity air dominance campaigns.

With RBE2-AA AESA radar, Spectra EW, and sensor-fusion accelerating the kill chain, Rafales enable earlier detection, more precise tracking, and improved survivability in contested skies.

Meteor missiles extend BVR lethality deep into the battlespace, complicating adversary operations for tankers, ISR aircraft, and airborne early warning assets that underpin regional airpower.

SCALP cruise missiles and AASM precision-guided munitions add deep strike options against land and maritime targets, enabling “denial bubbles” across vital sea lanes.

Such capabilities are pivotal in the Natuna and South China Sea approaches, where grey-zone pressure and airspace incursions test Jakarta’s resolve.

A single, modern Rafale fleet replaces Indonesia’s disparate mix of F-16s and Flankers, delivering training efficiency, spare-part rationalization, and shared weapons compatibility.

Continuous readiness becomes more attainable as maintenance, logistics, and software upgrades are standardized on one multirole platform.

For Singapore, Indonesia’s Rafale surge narrows the qualitative gap with its F-15SG and F-16V fleets, likely accelerating upgrades in sensors, weapons, and networking.

For Malaysia, the development underscores the urgency of acquiring new multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) and integrated air defence systems to sustain credible deterrence.

For Vietnam and the Philippines, Jakarta’s move highlights the regional trend toward long-range patrols and maritime strike capacity.

For Australia, Indonesia’s enhanced reach and ISR integration strengthen allied deterrence in the critical sea lanes linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

For China, the shift means recalibrating grey-zone tactics, as a better-armed, quicker-reacting Indonesia can threaten support assets and complicate paramilitary operations in disputed waters.

Operationally, Rafales enable dispersed basing concepts across Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java, and Sulawesi, reducing predictability and boosting surge capacity in crises.

With tanker and AEW support, Jakarta gains the ability to impose layered air defence and maritime strike campaigns across strategic sea lines of communication.

Industrial offsets and deepening Franco-Indonesian cooperation accelerate local sustainment capacity, insulating Indonesia from supply disruptions and sanctions risks.

Closer operational compatibility with France and like-minded partners enhances joint exercises, data-sharing, and combined air-maritime tactics.

At the regional level, 66 Rafales raise the threshold for coercion, driving up the cost of airspace incursions, paramilitary buildup, and illicit maritime surveillance.

Strategically, the fleet signals Indonesia’s intent to remain autonomous while acting as a stabilizing force, deterring escalation without abandoning neutrality.

Ultimately, the Rafale era makes TNI-AU a fast, flexible, and formidable instrument of state power, reshaping Southeast Asia’s deterrence architecture for the next decade.

 

READ: Indonesia’s Massive Rafale Expansion: 66 French Jets Set to Redefine Southeast Asia’s Air Power Balance

Technical Specifications of the Dassault Rafale Multirole Fighter

General
• Manufacturer: Dassault Aviation (France)
• Type: Multirole combat aircraft
• Variants: Rafale B (twin-seat), Rafale C (single-seat), Rafale M (carrier-based)

Dimensions
• Length: 15.3 metres
• Wingspan: 10.9 metres
• Height: 5.3 metres
• Wing Area: 45.7 square metres

Weights
• Empty Weight: 10,300 kg
• Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW): 24,500 kg
• Internal Fuel Capacity: 4,700 kg

Performance
• Maximum Speed: Mach 1.8 (approximately 2,222 km/h)
• Ferry Range: 3,700 km (with external fuel tanks)
• Combat Radius: 1,852 km
• Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,240 metres)
• Rate of Climb: 305 metres per second

Engines
• Type: 2 × Snecma M88-2 afterburning turbofan engines
• Thrust: 50 kN (dry) / 75 kN (with afterburner) each

Armament
• Cannon: 1 × GIAT 30 mm internal cannon (125 rounds)
• Hardpoints: 14 (Rafale B/C) / 13 (Rafale M)
• Missiles/Rockets:
– Air-to-Air: MICA IR/EM, Meteor
– Air-to-Ground: AASM Hammer, SCALP EG
– Anti-Ship: Exocet AM39 Block 2, ASMP-A (nuclear capable)
• Precision-Guided Munitions: Laser-Guided Bombs (LGB), Paveway II/III, AASM

Avionics
• Radar: Thales RBE2 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar
• Electronic Warfare: Thales SPECTRA self-protection and jamming suite
• Targeting Systems: Damocles / Talios targeting pod
• Helmet-Mounted Display: Latest-generation integrated display system

Operational Capabilities
• Multirole: Capable of air-to-air, air-to-ground, reconnaissance, strategic strike, and maritime attack missions
• Aerial Refuelling: Equipped with probe for air-to-air refuelling

The Dassault Rafale is engineered as a highly versatile multirole fighter, capable of executing a wide spectrum of missions within a single sortie. Its balance of agility, advanced avionics, and weapons integration makes it a cornerstone platform for any modern air force. — DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA