Boeing halts F-15 fighter jet program for Indonesia

U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing has confirmed it is no longer pursuing the F-15 fighter jet program for Indonesia, effectively ending a high-profile procurement effort that had been central to Jakarta’s military modernization plans.

The decision was disclosed on February 3 during the Singapore Airshow, according to comments made by a senior Boeing defense executive.

Speaking to reporters at the airshow, Bernd Peters, Boeing’s vice president for business development and strategy at Boeing Defense, said the company’s pursuit of the Indonesian F-15 deal had ended. “In terms of our F-15 partnership with Indonesia, it is no longer an active campaign for us,” Peters said, declining to elaborate and directing further questions to the U.S. and Indonesian governments. The remarks were first reported by Reuters.

The announcement brings clarity to the status of a proposed acquisition that dates back to 2023, when Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense and Boeing signed an agreement covering the planned purchase of 24 F-15EX fighter jets. The deal was structured as a Foreign Military Sale and remained subject to approval by the U.S. government. At the time, Indonesian officials described the aircraft as a cornerstone of efforts to modernize the country’s air combat fleet.

Under the original plan, Indonesia intended to acquire a customized variant of the F-15EX, to be designated the F-15IDN. The aircraft would have been based on the same configuration ordered by the U.S. Air Force, with modifications tailored to Indonesian operational requirements. The proposed purchase was also seen as part of a broader defense cooperation framework between Jakarta and Washington.

In August 2023, senior officials from both sides signed a memorandum of understanding confirming Indonesia’s intent to proceed with the acquisition. Air Vice Marshal Yusuf Jauhari, head of Indonesia’s Defense Facilities Agency, and Mark Sears, Boeing’s vice president and program manager for fighters, formalized the plan during a signing ceremony. At that time, Indonesian officials indicated the F-15IDN would strengthen long-range air defense, maritime strike, and deterrence capabilities across the archipelago.

Industry reporting in 2023 also linked the F-15 program to a wider set of U.S. defense procurements under consideration by Indonesia, including Sikorsky-built Black Hawk helicopters. Defense News reported that Jakarta viewed the F-15EX as a complement to other ongoing fighter acquisitions, including French-made Rafale jets, as Indonesia sought to diversify suppliers and replace aging platforms.

The F-15EX is the latest iteration of the long-running Eagle series, designed to carry heavy payloads, integrate modern avionics, and operate alongside fifth-generation fighters. For Boeing, the platform has remained a key product for export markets as well as for the U.S. Air Force. Indonesia had been viewed as one of the most significant potential international customers for the type in Southeast Asia.