Indonesia has abandoned its plan to acquire Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from Qatar, valued at approximately EUR 733 million ($790 million), according to Indonesia’s defense ministry.
“There is no purchase of Mirage jets. Even though it was planned, it has been canceled… meaning there is no active contract,” spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said in a statement but did not elaborate.
The decision comes after the ministry previously noted a delay in the acquisition due to budgetary limitations, opting instead to upgrade its current fleet of Sukhoi and F-16 aircraft.
The potential deal had sparked debate when initially disclosed last year, with some legislators expressing concerns over the age of the second-hand aircraft.
Indonesia’s Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, who is a leading candidate in the upcoming presidential election, faced criticism from opponents over the proposed purchase.
Despite the backlash, Prabowo defended the acquisition in a presidential debate, arguing that the used jets would remain operational for another 15 years and were a necessary interim solution until new aircraft could be delivered.
Prabowo has been instrumental in advancing the military’s modernization agenda, securing new Rafale fighter jets, drones from Turkish Aerospace, and additional aircraft and helicopters from U.S. manufacturers Boeing and Lockheed Martin to rejuvenate Indonesia’s aging military fleet.
Last month, the ministry said the deal to purchase the 12 fighter jets was delayed due to fiscal constraints and that the military would order a retrofit for its existing Sukhoi and F16 aircraft instead.
