TEMPO.CO, Surabaya - Indonesia has signed a cooperation agreement with South Korea to produce 50 fighter aircraft. Through the Defense Ministry, Indonesia has agreed to continue the joint development program of KFX/IFX fighter aircaft in the Defense Acquisition Program (DAPA). The aircraft is claimed to be better than the current F-16s and Sukhois owned by the Indonesian Air Force.

"[The KFX/IFX] is equal to the F-22 or Raptor from the United States," said Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro on Monday, October 6, 2014.

The first phase of the project, which is Technology Development (TD), was completed in December 2012. The next phase, Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), claimed to have started. The project is targeted to be completed in 2023. "From six prototypes, one prototype will be made in Indonesia," he said.

Deputy Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsuddin, added that the fighter aircraft project costs around US$8.5 billion or around Rp8.5 trillion. Indonesia and South Korea has made a deal that the Development Cost Share ratio will be 20 percent from Indonesia and 80 percent from South Korea, or "around Rp16 trillion."

According to Purnomo, South Korea was chosen as a partner because it has good experiences with Indonesia and because not all countries are willing to conduct transfer of technology.

ARTIKA RACHMI FARMITA