US approves MV-22s for Indonesia

The US government has approved the sale to Indonesia of eight Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft for an estimated USD2 billion.

Indonesia plans to acquire eight MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, according to Department of State approval for the procurement announced on 6 July. (US Marine Corps)

The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval, announced by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 6 July, covers the Block C aircraft, as well as equipment, defensive weapons, spares, support, and training.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of an important regional partner […] in the Asia-Pacific region. The proposed sale of aircraft and support will enhance Indonesia’s humanitarian and disaster relief capabilities and support amphibious operations, [and] promote burden sharing and interoperability with US forces,” the DSCA said.

The proposed sale must now be approved by Congress before a contract can be signed.

Indonesia has not previously been linked to a possible MV-22 purchase (although Bell has surreptitiously released a computer-generated image of the aircraft in Indonesian markings). However, with a disparate territory covering five main islands spread over an area of nearly 2 million square km, it would benefit greatly from the aircraft’s range, speed and flexibility (it can fly as far and as fast as a fixed-wing aircraft, and then land and take off like a helicopter once it reaches its destination).