Indonesia Urged to Develop an Integrated Air Defense System

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Chairman of the Air Power Indonesia Studies Center, Chappy Hakim, responded to the recent arrival of various new military equipment in the Indonesian Air Force, including seven French-made Dassault Rafale fighter jets. While he praised Indonesia’s efforts to modernize and diversify its defense suppliers, he stressed the importance of a more integrated air defense system to ensure all equipment operates optimally.

"If we are talking about the air force, we are talking about a system — a national air defense system. Therefore, an integrated system must be built," Chappy said in an interview with RRI Voice of Indonesia in Jakarta on Thursday, May 21, 2026.

"If we buy Rafales, A400s, Falcons, and all the supporting systems we acquired recently, but then fail to build the system itself, it will all be in vain," he said.

Chappy cited the India-Pakistani conflict as an example, where Pakistan had once succeeded in shooting down Indian aircraft, including India’s Dassault Rafale jets, in 2025. According to him, this happened because India faced difficulties integrating its aircraft and weapons into a strong and effective operational system.

“On the other hand, Pakistan, which does not have a very large number of aircraft, has found it easier to develop an integrated air defense system pattern,” he said.

Chappy also encouraged Indonesia to develop a better air defense system planning in the future. According to him, preparing infrastructure and qualified human resources takes much longer than purchasing equipment, including adapting to increasingly advanced technology.

"Preparing infrastructure and qualified human resources requires a long time; it cannot be done in just one or two years. And once again, technological advancement has now entered the cyber world or cyberspace era. What operates there are computers, hardware, digital systems, and so on," he said.

Earlier on Monday, the Indonesian government officially handed over the latest combat equipment to the Indonesian Air Force. Among them were seven Rafale fighter jets, five Dassault Falcon 8X jets, and an Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft, as well as several missile systems.

According to Indonesia's Cabinet Secretariat, the Rafale jets will strengthen the Indonesian Air Force’s air-to-air and air-to-ground combat capabilities, supported by long-range Meteor missiles and HAMMER weapons. Meanwhile, the Falcon 8Xs will support strategic mobility, command missions, and surveillance.

The Airbus A400M will be an "important element" in strengthening strategic transport and aerial refueling capabilities, while the GCI radar will function as an early detection system against air threats. The radar will also help direct fighter jets toward targets that violate Indonesia’s airspace sovereignty.