The government believes that defense cooperation must provide optimal benefits for Indonesia, especially in terms of technology transfer, industrial control and added value to the national defense industry.
From the evaluation results, the KF-21 program is deemed to need adjustments so that the results obtained are commensurate with investment and Indonesia’s strategic defense needs.
Even though it is no longer involved in joint production, Indonesia will still obtain the KF-21 fighter jet through a direct purchase scheme from the South Korean government.
The Ministry of Defense emphasized that this decision was the result of an internal government evaluation and was not related to other issues that had developed, including news of an investigation into Indonesian engineers in South Korea regarding the alleged theft of KF-21 technology.
Previously, Indonesia was South Korea’s partner in the KF-21 project worth around 8.8 trillion won or around Rp. 104 trillion, with a financing scheme of 60% by South Korea, 20% Indonesia, and 20% Korea Aerospace Industries.
In your opinion, is Indonesia’s move to exit joint production of the KF-21 correct?
Or should it continue for the sake of transferring defense technology?
Source: Bloomberg
