Indonesia orders 12 Leonardo M-346F Block 20 light fighters

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Indonesian Air Force is set to add another aircraft type to its diverse fleet, following a deal with Leonardo for a dozen M-346F Block 20 light fighters, announced this week.

Lorenzo Mariani, Leonardo’s CEO and General Manager, stated: “The introduction of the M-346F in Indonesia provides clear evidence not only of the aircraft system’s inherent quality, but also of the country’s continued and yet growing trust in our capabilities across domains.”

Leonardo confirmed that the sale “includes the localization of a range of support, maintenance, overhaul and training capabilities, as well as human capital development.”

Aircraft Capabilities

The Italian-built M-346 is widely recognized as an advanced jet trainer, but the F variant is a dedicated, multirole light fighter. Key features include:

• Active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar
• Link 16 data link
• Seven hardpoints for carrying weapons
• Aerial refueling capability
• Electronic countermeasures system

Delivery and Global Demand

The first M-346s are expected to be handed over to Jakarta in 2030. This will make Indonesia the 23rd operator of the M-346, and the first Asian customer of the newest Block 20 variant.

“Just eight months after the first order, strong and rapid global demand for the latest version of the aircraft clearly demonstrates it is meeting customer requirements,” read a Leonardo statement. The company noted that the M-346 has logged over 170,000 flight hours to date.

Indonesia's Diverse Fleet

Indonesia is currently inducting Dassault’s Rafale fighter, but the air force maintains a mixed fleet that includes:

• American F-16
• Russian Su-27/Su-30
• Korean T-50i

Jakarta has also invested in the Korean KF-21’s development and has expressed interest in the Turkish Kaan, though neither has resulted in production contracts yet. Indonesia’s defense minister has additionally indicated a desire for the Chinese J-10.

If all these aspirations materialize, Indonesia would operate potentially the world’s most complex and varied fleet of combat aircraft.

Interoperability Challenges

“The Indonesian Armed Forces have been facing existing challenges related to interoperability,” said Alban Sciascia, director of consultancy firm PT Semar Sentinel Indonesia. “It’s no secret that Indonesia has been focusing on procuring different equipment from different countries, as part of its diversification strategy, and that its joint operations concept is limited because of the relative inability to get all this equipment interoperating on the battlefield.”

Naval Helicopter Prospects

Separately, Leonardo, PT ESystem Solutions, and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense signed a letter of intent on July 21 for the prospective procurement of Leonardo AW149 medium helicopters for the Indonesian Navy.

“If followed by a contract, this could lead to the supply of AW149 helicopters for search and rescue and disaster relief, for both land-based and embarked operations,” Leonardo said in a statement.

The navy currently operates eleven Airbus AS565 Panther helicopters, but as the guardian of the world’s largest archipelagic waters, it requires additional shipboard helicopters.

About the Author

Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in New Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in approximately 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region.