Indonesia looks to revive KF-21 contract with Block 2 acquisition

A model of the KF-21 on display at Indo Defence 2025. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)

Indonesia's involvement in South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter programme looks set to deepen, with fresh indications that Jakarta may procure 16 Block 2 variants of the aircraft as part of a package to revive a long-stalled contract.

This development emerged from a closed-door meeting at the Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MoD) in Jakarta on 7 January, which was held following a proposal broached by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to his South Korean counterpart Lee Jae-myung during a private meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in October 2025.

According to documents provided to Janes, the 7 January meeting was led by the head of Programme and Evaluation at the MoD's Defence Logistics Agency, Air Commodore Jon Ginting.

Also in attendance at the meeting were representatives from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Indonesia's state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI).

According to the notes of discussion, the meeting centred around expectations that the South Korean government would extend an export credit facility through the Exim Bank of Korea to support Indonesia's financing of its KF-21 fighter aircraft obligations.

A part of the facility will also be used to fund the purchase of 16 Block 2 airframes, with this number of units being the complement for a full squadron under Indonesian Air Force nomenclature.

No details were provided regarding the export credit facility that might be extended.

Similarly, there have been no details about whether an earlier agreement for Indonesia to procure up to 48 aircraft will be amended to reflect this consideration for 16 Block 2 units.