Dassault Aviation has officially confirmed that Indonesia’s government has greenlit the third and final batch of its planned acquisition of 42 Dassault Rafale fighter jets.The announcement, made by Dassault Aviation on January 8, marks the culmination of a defense contract signed in February 2022.Indonesia’s Air Force strategically divided the delivery of the Rafale aircraft into three tranches, receiving eight fighters in September 2022, 18 in August 2023, and now the final eight supersonic jets.The confirmation of the third tranche comes at a time when the Indonesian government is grappling with a backlash over its previous decision to purchase 12 second-hand Mirage 2000-5 fighters from Qatar. The agreement, signed with a Czech company in January and valued at $800 million, faced delays due to financial constraints, leading to the postponement of the acquisition.In addition to the Rafale acquisition, the Indonesian Air Force has ordered 24 Boeing F-15EX fighters. Furthermore, Indonesia is participating as a minor partner in the KF-21 Boramae fighter development program led by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) in South Korea.Indonesia’s choice of the Rafale will also consolidate industrial and academic cooperation between the two countries.“In selecting the Rafale, Indonesia has chosen a unique tool for sovereignty and operational independence that will help consolidate its role as a major regional power. This option also consolidates ambitious industrial and academic collaboration. “We are fully committed to making this partnership a success, with a firm long-term vision,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.