Thais safe as fires rage in Canada, Greece

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 25 Aug 2023 at 18:05

Thais safe as fires rage in Canada, Greece
Smoke and flames from wildfires are seen in the hills above West Kelowna in the western Canadian province of British Columbia on Aug 17. (Photo: Reuters)

Thai nationals in areas of Canada and Greece that are battling wildfires are safe and officials have been closely monitoring the situation to give assistance, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Giving an update on the wildfires that have forced evacuations, ministry spokeswoman Kanchana Patarachoke said that all Thais affected by the blazes had been safely evacuated.

She said authorities have been in contact with the Thai communities in both countries and advised them to cooperate with local authorities and closely monitor information.

Wildfires have ravaged the equivalent of 250,000 rai of land and killed at least 20 people in Greece, with some areas near Athens evacuated. In Canada, blazes are spreading in several areas of the northwest and west where people have been told to evacuate.

Ms Kanchana said that one Thai who lives in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, had been safely evacuated to Calgary in Alberta and is receiving assistance from local authorities.

She also said Thais who live in Kelowna in British Columbia had also been safely evacuated after a state of emergency was declared on Aug 19 for the entire west coast province.

Continue Reading

Monkeys sterilised to curb population growth

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Lop Buri main focus of campaign to reduce negative impact of animals on locals and visitors

PUBLISHED : 25 Aug 2023 at 17:55

Monkeys sterilised to curb population growth
A monkey is photographed after being sterilised at the Monkey Hospital located in the Lop Buri Zoo. (Photo: Wildlife Conservation Division)

LOP BURI: At least 154 monkeys in this Central Plains province have been caught and taken to an animal hospital for sterilisation.

The efforts are part of a new attempt to reduce the monkey population, estimated at above 2,000, to help mitigate the animals’ negative impacts on local residents.

The monkeys for decades have been a big tourist attraction in Lop Buri, which holds a feast for them ever year. But they have grown to have no fear of humans, who in turn are growing more fearful of monkeys.

In a campaign that ran from Aug 17-24, 142 of the 154 monkeys caught have already been sterilised at the Monkey Hospital located in the Lop Buri Zoo, said Sutthiphong Kaemthapthim, director of the wildlife conservation section of the Protected Areas Regional Office 1.

The sterilisations were carried out by local staff from the Protected Areas Regional Office 1and the Khao Somphot Wildlife No Hunting Area office in the same province, he said.

Some veterinarians from Protected Areas Regional Office 12 in neighbouring Nakhon Sawan also helped sterilise the monkeys at the zoo, he said.

After sterilisation, the monkeys were given a forearm tattoo indicating their province of origin and the year and numerical order in which each money was sterilised, he said. The tattoo also doubles as an ID for the monkey, which will be used in ongoing control efforts.

After sterilisation, the monkeys were kept at the zoo for one to two days to observe their surgical wounds and health to ensure they were healthy enough to be released back to where they were previously, Mr Sutthiphong added.

Continue Reading

Camp David summit paves way for potent trilateral alliance

By:
On:
In: Asia

The August 18 summit at the presidential retreat at Camp David was the culmination of decades of American efforts to bring its Japanese and Korean allies closer together. President Joe Biden has been facilitating this process since his time as vice president in the Barack Obama administration.

Given the potential crises on the Korean Peninsula and in Taiwan, the leaders emphasized the necessity of standing together and resolved to exchange information rapidly and coordinate actions in the event of challenges impacting the shared interests and security of the three nations.

The American hosts heavily emphasized the summit’s symbolism. Representatives of Japan and South Korea were the first Biden hosted in Washington after his inauguration. Again, Japan and Korea had primacy as the countries Biden visited first in Asia. The centrality of the two states was underscored when their leaders were the first Biden invited to Camp David during his tenure.

The first standalone summit, which President Biden, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Yoon Suk Yeol attended, further highlighted the significance of their trilateral cooperation. 

Summit accomplishments

The summit was preceded by a rapprochement and the resumption of shuttle diplomacy between Japan and South Korea in May after 12 neglected years. It was especially the heavy lifting of the Korean president that helped mend fences with Japan.

Kishida and Yoon agreed during the summit to resume high-level economic and political talks by the end of this year, amid progress in mending ties. The agreement pertains to two engagements: a vice-foreign-ministerial strategic dialogue this autumn and economic talks by year-end.

Two documents came out of the summit: the “Camp David Principles” and the “Spirit of Camp David,” which outlined the scope of future cooperation ranging from holding regular trilateral meetings at various levels involving leaders, foreign and trade ministers and defense chiefs.

They pledged also to hold annual joint drills involving the Japan Self-Defense Forces and US and South Korean forces. To strengthen economic security, the three countries committed to working closely together by launching “early warning system pilots” to enable swift information sharing to avert disruptions in global supply chains.

Beyond security and economics, the scope of collaboration will include sharing cutting-edge technology, joint development, health care and people-to-people exchanges.

Piece of a larger puzzle

The trilateral summit was part of a larger multilayered and multidimensional US strategy for the Indo-Pacific region that emphasizes alliances. Both Japan and South Korea are technologically advanced middle powers and key regional allies of the US.

While Seoul’s defensive strategy is traditionally focused on the Korean Peninsula, Yoon’s administration is adopting a wider regional outlook. Japan, for almost two decades, has been reaching out to India and other partners in South and Southeast Asia to build closer economic and security ties.

These efforts were welcomed by Washington and are further strengthening the US-led regional security architecture. As many pundits predicted, the three leaders discussed regional hotspots including North Korea and the Taiwan Strait while denouncing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. 

Biden welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House in June, and a visit by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is planned for later this year.

The US-JP-ROK cooperation, together with the Quad, US-AU-JP and AUKUS, is part of the American-led effort to uphold the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region through enhanced regional deterrence against revisionist powers.

Push and pull factors

Many factors are pulling Asian states and the US together. For example, despite the repeated Chinese narrative accusing the US of creating “elitist cliques” or even an Asian mini-NATO, and accusing the US and its allies of a Cold War mentality, it is China’s hegemonic and coercive actions that have pushed growing cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific.

China has engaged in economic coercion against both Japan in 2010 (nationalization of the Senkaku Islands) and South Korea in 2017-2019 (after the THAAD deployment). More recently, China weaponized trade against Australia after it sought an impartial investigation into the origins of Covid-19.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has seemingly forgotten the warning of late patriarch Deng Xiaoping: “If one day China tries to seek hegemony in the world, people of the world should expose, oppose, and overthrow it.”

Only a day prior to the summit, 11 Chinese and Russian naval ships sailed through waters near Japan’s southern islands of Okinawa prefecture in an overt show of force.

The visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chinese ruling-party official Li Hongzhong to North Korea in light of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine and the possible trilateral cooperation of Beijing, Moscow and Pyongyang is another factor pushing closer trilateral cooperation among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington.

The spillover of the Russian invasion of Ukraine seems to have reached even the Korean Peninsula. There are strong indications within the US intelligence community that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is selling weapons to Russia.

Moreover, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank, the physical characteristics and flight data of the North Korean Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile are “nearly identical to those of the Russian Topol-M ICBM.”

CSIS asserts that Russia likely provided technical assistance in the development of the North Korean ICBM. Given the North Korean regime’s penchant for threatening its neighbors, this rings alarm bells in both Seoul and Tokyo.

During the Camp David summit, Kishida and Biden agreed to develop a new missile capable of intercepting hypersonic weapons. This joint development plan comes amid China’s, North Korea’s and Russia’s aggressive pursuit of hypersonic capabilities.

Elections ahead

The timing of the Camp David trilateral summit was planned to initiate greater cooperation before the respective leaders face re-election. Yoon is facing parliamentary elections in April, Kishida faces re-election as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party in September, and Biden is likely to run again in November.

For Biden, the summit was not only a way to ensure his political legacy but also an important stepping stone in the election cycle as he strives for a second presidential term. At least for this term, it is politically impossible for the US to return to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) regional trade agreement.

Japan and South Korea are aware that the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), with its missing free-trade element, is a Band-Aid in the absence of greater US economic involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.

Kishida’s government, despite its numerous foreign political successes, is under pressure due to its lackluster economic performance and numerous affairs, most recently the My Number Card issue. Kishida is more respected by his allies abroad than at home. Nevertheless, for now, his position as leader of the LDP is uncontested.

The largest conservative LDP faction, Seiwakai, hurriedly named Abe’s successor in August after more than a year since Abe’s assassination. Abe’s murder caused a shockwave in the LDP. Not only did the Seiwakai lose their leader, but so too did independent conservatives.

The moderate Kishida cannot turn to his conservatives for support any longer and now must face a fractionalized conservative camp. Moreover, with Abe gone, Kishida lost a possible ally who was able to mitigate the worst impulses of former US president Donald Trump, who could conceivably return in 2024.

It remains an open question whether Ryu Shionoya, as the new Seiwakai leader, can unify the conservatives and be an effective counterpart to Kishida.

Yoon faces the most difficult situation. Elected to office by a razor-thin margin, Yoon faces an opposition majority in parliament. In the event that the opposition retains this advantage after the upcoming election in April 2024, Yoon will confront a hostile parliament until the end of his tenure in 2027.

For now, the historical grievances between Japan and South Korea have been put aside in favor of future-oriented cooperation. Nevertheless, significant issues of cultural and historical weight remain.

These include challenges connected with Japan’s colonization from 1910-1945 but also the territorial spat over the Dokdo/Takeshima islands as well as the 2018 incident when a Korean naval vessel illuminated a Japanese patrol plane with its fire control radar.

These issues will not simply disappear. It is likely that the Korean opposition will play the “Japanese card” against Yoon’s conservatives in the legislative election campaign.

Moreover, the upcoming release of treated Fukushima water is, despite International Atomic Energy Agency assurances of safety, another point that Yoon’s opponents vocalize.

What’s next?

Yoon offered to host the next leaders’ summit in Seoul. After their meeting symbolically in Hiroshima on the margins of the Group of Seven summit, the electoral turf of Kishida, and then in Washington, it seems a reasonable proposal.

Many in Tokyo look back to 2015 when the Abe-Park deal was reached with the blessing of the Obama administration on comfort women. The succeeding Moon Jae-In administration dismantled the agreement and his entire tenure was marked by a confrontational attitude toward Japan.

It is important not only to Yoon and Kishida that the positive momentum of the tacit institutionalization of trilateral cooperation take root as early as possible, but also to Biden, who is particularly vested in the budding trilateral alliance’s endurance.

Continue Reading

Employment agent given four weeks’ jail for fraudulently obtaining work permit for foreigner

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: An employment agent was sentenced to four weeks’ jail on Friday (Aug 25) for fraudulently obtaining a work permit for a foreigner. Lee Peck Li has also been barred from the employment agency industry following his conviction, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a press release.  The 44-year-old Singaporean wasContinue Reading

‘Let people judge for themselves,’ says Tharman on ‘tactical statements’ by fellow presidential candidates

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: Presidential candidate Tharman Shanmugaratnam said on Friday (Aug 25) that he would rather let people judge for themselves than comment on any “tactical statements” by his fellow candidates.

He was responding to CNA’s question about what Mr Tan Kin Lian said earlier in the day that appeared to allude to the wife of Mr Tharman and fiancée of fellow presidential candidate Ng Kok Song. 

Mr Tan told reporters on the sidelines of a walkabout that this election will also give Singaporeans the chance to choose their first lady, adding that he and his wife were born in Singapore and are “blue-blooded Singaporeans”.

“Of course, we respect other people from other countries who come to Singapore to become citizens, but I think deep down our locals would prefer at least a chance to have the President and the first lady to be true Singaporeans from birth,” said Mr Tan, a former NTUC Income chief executive and second-time presidential candidate. 

Mr Tharman’s wife, Jane Yumiko Ittogi, was born in Japan to a Japanese father and a Singaporean Chinese mother who met in Singapore. She has lived in Singapore since she was three and attended local schools.

Mr Ng’s fiancée Sybil Lau is a Singaporean who was born in Canada. The 45-year-old has been living in Singapore for 18 years.

Speaking to reporters during a lunchtime walkabout at Amoy Street Food Centre, Mr Tharman said it is “just not my style” to comment on any particular statements by other candidates.

“Each candidate, they will come up with various tactical statements and I let people judge for themselves,” he said.

But he pointed to the example of former presidential hopeful George Goh, saying: “I have nothing against George Goh. The fact that he was born in Malaysia … started off poor, worked very hard, came to Singapore and succeeded. I thought it was a good story. It’s always been the Singapore story.”

Continue Reading

Wissanu washing his hands of politics

By:
On:
In: South-East Asia

Outgoing deputy PM in charge of legal affairs plans to rest, possibly write books and teach

PUBLISHED : 25 Aug 2023 at 17:17

Wissanu washing his hands of politics
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, seen above at Government House on March 14, has served as a key legal adviser to the governments of both Thaksin Shinawatra and Prayut Chan-o-cha. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam has vowed to wash his hands of politics, saying he wants to rest and take care of his health.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mr Wissanu said he had been gradually moving his belongings out of Government House, making way for the new government led by Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party.

Asked what he would do now that his his role as deputy prime minister in charge of legal affairs is ending, Mr Wissanu said he would spend most of his time at home resting.

He also intends to spend time with his grandchildren, write some books and take up teaching jobs, and may also take a board position at a company to earn some money.

Mr Wissanu said he would still be a member of the Council of State, the government’s legal advisory body, and the Royal Society of Thailand.

“As for politics, it will call it quits,” he said. “I thought I would quit in 2006 but eight years later I happened to have to return (to politics). But there will be no more this time, because I have a health problem,” he said without elaborating.

Asked whether he would shut the door completely to politics, Mr Wissanu said, “Yes, definitely. I swear.”

Mr Wissanu, 71, was born in Hat Yai on Sept 15, 1951. He studied law at Thammasat University, graduating with an honours degree, and was admitted to the bar by the Thai Bar Association.

He continued his studies in the United States, completing his Master of Laws and Doctor of Juridical Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

In 1986 he was appointed professor of law at Chulalongkorn University. In 1991 he accepted a position as deputy secretary-general of the cabinet and in 1993 he was promoted to secretary-general, the highest-ranking civil servant advising the cabinet on legal affairs. Mr Wissanu held the post for more than a decade, surviving four changes of government.

In October 2002 he was approached by then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to join the cabinet, serving as a deputy prime minister until June 24, 2006.

After the September 2006 military coup that deposed Thaksin, Mr Wissanu was approached by the military regime to draft a post-coup interim constitution, alongside Borwornsak Uwanno. He then became a member of the military-appointed National Legislative Assembly. During and after this time, he continued to teach at Chulalongkorn University.

He returned to politics in August 2014 after the coup by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, serving as deputy prime minister in charge of legal affairs until the present day.

Continue Reading

Analysis: Fixing Thailand’s economy to fix its political image, but it won’t be easy for Pheu Thai govt

By:
On:
In: Asia

On Wednesday, Mr Srettha delivered a speech upon being royally endorsed as Thailand’s 30th prime minister. 

He pledged to unite all Thais, respect differences of opinion in society, and lead the Pheu Thai-led government to make Thailand “a country of hope for the new generation and a land of happiness for people of all ages”.

Although Mr Srettha is holding the reins of the government, analysts say his party will have to compromise in its governance in order to achieve its political goals, while making sure its coalition government does not fall apart.

Talks over cabinet positions are taking place ahead of an official announcement expected soon.

Local media reported Pheu Thai is likely to claim top portfolios such as finance, transport and health, while having to sacrifice other key ministries to its coalition partners in exchange for their support.

Bhumjaithai is speculated to land the interior and labour ministries, while United Thai Nation is likely to get the energy and industry ministries.

Besides balancing the coalition’s dynamic, analysts say Mr Srettha will also have to act as a nominee of Mr Thaksin and protect the interest of the Shinawatras.

His rise to power has been associated with Mr Thaksin’s return to Thailand on Tuesday after spending more than 15 years in self-imposed exile. 

His homecoming took place only a few hours before the prime ministerial selection in parliament, where Mr Srettha won the premiership with overwhelming support from both Houses.

According to Mr Yuthaporn, the Srettha administration has a hidden agenda of granting Mr Thaksin an amnesty as well as enabling a safe return of his sister – exiled former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was ousted from power in 2014 by Gen Prayut’s coup d’etat.

Following his return, Mr Thaksin was ordered by the Supreme Court to serve eight years in prison. 

However, his time in jail lasted less than a day. Citing health conditions, the authorities transferred him in the middle of the night from the medical wing of Bangkok Remand Prison – where he was kept alone – to a hospital in downtown Bangkok.

“The parliament could pass an amnesty for political prisoners more generally, and that would include Thaksin,” James Ockey, an associate professor from the University of Canterbury, told CNA’s Asia First on Wednesday.

With military-linked parties in the coalition, Mr Ockey added, the new government could potentially pass such a pardon.

Continue Reading

Analysis: Fixing Thailand’s economy to fix its political image, but it won’t be easy for Pheu Thai government

By:
On:
In: Asia

On Wednesday, Mr Srettha delivered a speech upon being royally endorsed as Thailand’s 30th prime minister. 

He pledged to unite all Thais, respect differences of opinion in society, and lead the Pheu Thai-led government to make Thailand “a country of hope for the new generation and a land of happiness for people of all ages”.

Although Mr Srettha is holding the reins of the government, analysts say his party will have to compromise in its governance in order to achieve its political goals, while making sure its coalition government does not fall apart.

Talks over cabinet positions are taking place ahead of an official announcement expected soon.

Local media reported Pheu Thai is likely to claim top portfolios such as finance, transport and health, while having to sacrifice other key ministries to its coalition partners in exchange for their support.

Bhumjaithai is speculated to land the interior and labour ministries, while United Thai Nation is likely to get the energy and industry ministries.

Besides balancing the coalition’s dynamic, analysts say Mr Srettha will also have to act as a nominee of Mr Thaksin and protect the interest of the Shinawatras.

His rise to power has been associated with Mr Thaksin’s return to Thailand on Tuesday after spending more than 15 years in self-imposed exile. 

His homecoming took place only a few hours before the prime ministerial selection in parliament, where Mr Srettha won the premiership with overwhelming support from both Houses.

According to Mr Yuthaporn, the Srettha administration has a hidden agenda of granting Mr Thaksin an amnesty as well as enabling a safe return of his sister – exiled former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who was ousted from power in 2014 by Gen Prayut’s coup d’etat.

Following his return, Mr Thaksin was ordered by the Supreme Court to serve eight years in prison. 

However, his time in jail lasted less than a day. Citing health conditions, the authorities transferred him in the middle of the night from the medical wing of Bangkok Remand Prison – where he was kept alone – to a hospital in downtown Bangkok.

“The parliament could pass an amnesty for political prisoners more generally, and that would include Thaksin,” James Ockey, an associate professor from the University of Canterbury, told CNA’s Asia First on Wednesday.

With military-linked parties in the coalition, Mr Ockey added, the new government could potentially pass such a pardon.

Continue Reading

Indonesia picks the F-15EX to push back on China

By:
On:
In: Asia

Indonesia is set to acquire the latest F-15 fighter jets from the US, Jakarta’s latest move to modernize its aging air force and upgrade its defenses, namely against China in the Natuna Islands on the edge of the South China Sea.

This month, Breaking Defense reported that Indonesian and Boeing officials have signed a memorandum of understanding for the supply of 24 F-15EX fighter jets for Jakarta. The report notes that the agreement followed a tour by Indonesian officials of Boeing’s production line in St Louis.

While the deal is still subject to approval by the US State Department, it is seen as an important step for Indonesia’s military as well as the US Air Force (USAF), which is also purchasing the jet to modernize its likewise aging fighter fleet.

The F-15EX is a highly advanced fighter jet developed by Boeing for the USAF. It represents the latest iteration of the F-15 series, featuring improved avionics, structural enhancements and a higher payload capacity. The F-15EX is designed to fulfill various roles, including air superiority, strike missions and multirole operations.

Air Force Technology mentions that the F-15EX has a length of 19.45 meters, a width of 13.05 meters, and a height of 5.64 meters, with an empty weight of 14,500 kilograms and a maximum take-off weight of 37,000 kilograms.

The source notes that the F-15EX can launch hypersonic weapons up to 6.7 meters long and can be operated by a single pilot. It also says the aircraft has new electronic warfare systems, advanced cockpit systems, modern sensors and radars, and advanced mission systems and software capabilities.

Breaking Defense mentions, however, that concerns over the F-15EX program persist, specifically around cost and production issues, noting that the per-unit cost could escalate to US$106 million by fiscal year 2025.

Furthermore, the report says that the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has noted production problems on the F-15EX line, possibly affecting the USAF’s initial operational capability (IOC) date.

Breaking Defense notes that Boeing must deliver six more F-15EXs, known as the program’s Lot 1B fighters, before the program’s IOC can be officially declared, which was previously expected in June 2023.

The report adds that the delivery of all six F-15EX aircraft is still scheduled for this calendar year, reflecting optimism about the program’s progress.

Indonesia has been struggling to modernize its air force, with mixed results. Asia Times noted in June 2023 that Indonesian Air Force (IDAF) officials have long expressed their desire to modernize, noting that their current fleet of aircraft is insufficient to cover the archipelagic nation’s vast airspace and address constantly evolving security requirements, particularly in regard to China’s presence near the Natuna Islands.

A China Coast Guard ship passes near an Indonesian warship in a July 2019 file photo. Photo: Indonesian Navy’s Western Region Fleet Command

As of April 2023, the IDAF operates a fighter force consisting of 49 jets made in the US and Russia. The force includes 33 F-16s, 11 Su-30s, and five Su-27s, with the Russian-made Su-30 serving is the IDAF’s primary fighter.

However, Western sanctions on Russia have prevented Indonesia from acquiring the more advanced Su-35. At the same time, its older F-16s are less capable, have limited upgrade potential and are only effective when integrated into a wider air defense strategy.

Given its financial and political constraints, Indonesia has tried multiple avenues to modernize its air force, such as co-designing a fighter jet with South Korea, purchasing used fighters from Qatar, considering Japan as a source of used fighter jet engines and buying new-build fighters from France.

In July 2023, Asia Times reported that Indonesia is still committed to South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae advanced jet fighter program despite being late on payments. Indonesia has paid 21% of the cost share through June 2023 but has yet to release a 2024-2026 payment plan timeline.

The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) seeks talks with Indonesia regarding payment plans, with Indonesia agreeing to pay 20% of the US$6.2 billion project cost as part of its efforts to modernize the IDAF.

In June 2023, Asia Times reported that Indonesia had acquired a squadron of 26-year-old Qatari Mirage 2000-5 jets with new multirole fighters to fill a hole in frontline air defenses until the government can find the money to buy new-generation multirole fighters.

The Mirages will replace Northrop F5s and will be used as a training and familiarization platform while the air force awaits the first of new Dassault Rafale jets from France. However, that approach has led to Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto having to defend his decision to acquire the old, used jets.

Moreover, Indonesia has made efforts to keep its aging fighters airworthy. Asia Times reported in June 2023 that Indonesia is considering surplus F-15 engines from Japan to power its F-16 fighters, with the two governments having previously signed an agreement regarding the transfer of defense equipment and technologies, thus paving the way for the F-15 engine deal.

Japan can provide 200 Pratt & Whitney turbofan engines from its 100 older F-15s, which will not be used due to modernization difficulties. These engines could be a valuable resource for countries that operate F-15s and F-16s, potentially leading to practical cooperation with Indonesia.

Although Japan has a de facto ban on exporting military hardware, Tokyo has previously exported sensitive military components to the US and exporting F-15 engines to Indonesia may be permitted.

Apart from those efforts, Indonesia has approached France for new-build jet fighters. In February 2022, Asia Times reported that Indonesia signed a purchase agreement for 42 French-made Rafale fighters, making it the first Southeast Asian country to acquire the jets.

The initial order includes six jets, 36 more to be delivered, and munitions and simulators. That move may have forced the US to sweeten its offer of military aircraft to court Indonesia, a crucial partner in Southeast Asia.

A Rafale fighter jet. Photo: Dassault Aviation

In response to Indonesia’s Rafale purchase, the US approved the sale of up to 36 F-15EX fighters, which, if Indonesia finally purchases, would complement its existing F-16 fleet.

Indonesia’s multifaceted fighter jet procurement program involving strategic purchases from various global powers illustrates its commitment to maintaining an independent and active foreign policy, which eschews overreliance on one strategic partner.

However, the complexities of such an approach, such as interoperability concerns and financial difficulties, can raise questions about its sustainability.

Continue Reading