Indonesia Awaits US License to Develop Fighter Jet with South Korea

Fighter jets KF-X/IF-X

Jakarta, 10 Jumadil Awwal 1438/07 Februari 2017 (MINA) – Indonesia is awaiting a license from the US to produce a fighter jet, Korea-Indonesia Fighter Experimental (KF-X/IF-X), in cooperation with South Korea, Indonesian Vice Foreign Minister A.M. Fachir said.

“The cooperation is not postponed, but we have requested for permission from the US as a license holder. They must issue a license first,” Antara quoted Fachir as saying here on Monday.

He made the remarks after attending the first meeting of high level strategic dialog between Indonesia and South Korea at the Pancasila Building in the vicinity of the Foreign Ministry building.

KF-X/IF-X is a South Korea-Indonesia joint program aimed at developing sophisticated multi-purpose fighter jets for the two countries air forces.

Fachir stated that the absence of the US license still hampered the joint development of the fighter jets. “To secure the US license, a delegation of the Indonesian Defense Ministry visited the US last year. This time wed better work together with South Korea for the benefit of the projects continuation,” he noted.

Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu earlier stated that Indonesia would depend on KF-X/IF-X fighter jets for the countrys air defense.

In January 2016, Indonesia and South Korea signed an agreement to jointly develop a new fighter jet which will cost the two countries US$1.3 billion.

Based on the agreement signed with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the Indonesian Defense Ministry will invest 1.6 trillion won (Rp13 trillion) for the KFX/IFX program. (T/RS05/RS01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)