Indonesia continues spending spree with French-made jets, military radars

Members of the Indonesian Air Force prepare to take off in Sukhoi fighter aircraft on Sept 29, 2020 from Iswahjudi Air Base in Magetan, East Java, in this file photo from Antara.

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): While controversy around Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto’s decision to purchase used Mirage fighter jets still rages on, state-owned electronics manufacturer PT Len Industri announced on Sunday (June 18) that the company has ordered military radars from French manufacturer Thales, signifying a growing partnership between Indonesia and France.

Thales said in a statement on Monday that the 13 Ground Master 400 Alpha (GM400a) long-range radars will confer the Indonesian Military (TNI) the advantage of “a single air picture integrating the detection of all types of threats, from jets and missiles to hovering helicopters and unmanned air vehicles."