So i saw this on the Flanker export thread.
Roundup: Indonesia finally confirms to purchase Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets | GlobalPost
I was just wondering will this raise any eyebrows in the RAAF? I know that they allready have some SU-27 and 30's but by all accounts the 35 is a half decent bird.
Secondly would this decision from Indonesia come because we are sourcing the F-35? or does their defence procurement not really pay much attention to what we do?
Keep in mind the article mentioned not purchasing the full 16 aircraft squadron, but perhaps only 12. Also IIRC when Indonesia purchased the half-dozen Su-30MKI2 (I think it was MKI2) they were acquired without weaponry. I believe they have since been armed, but with Indonesia only purchasing replacement aircraft in very small numbers, and without them being acquired with full sets of required kit (replacement parts, weaponry, training munitions, etc.) to really be operationally useful, I see it more as Indonesia replacing, when it can and to the degree it can, aging platforms which provide needed capabilities.
Keep in mind what they are replacing, the F-5E Tiger II. While the aircraft are ~35 years old, the design itself is 40+ years old, and it was designed as a low-cost fighter for sale to US allies. It was also essentially an updated version of the F-5A, which dates from ~1959. Basically in a conflict, they would be useful vs. unarmed aircraft, but likely of limited use against modern frontline aircraft. Against something like an F-35 they would likely be little more than targets.
The other consideration is just how much the balance of power will shift by the acquisition. A dozen new fighters would likely allow Indonesia to maintain two pairs either aloft, or on hotpad/ready to launch status at best, perhaps with the ability to surge all of them. Something to keep in mind though with so few in service though, is just how much flight time will the individual pilots actually get? A skilled pilot in a less than ideal fighter can often achieve more than an inexperienced pilot can in an advanced aircraft.
With the RAAF though, it is likely that there would be a skilled pilot in an advanced aircraft, and potentially backed up by other advanced systems (Wedgetail, JORN, Vigilaire, etc.) which could make the battlespace a nightmare for potentially hostile forces. Within the region, only the USN and perhaps the RSAF could achieve the sensor footprint and degree of integration that the RAAF seems on track to achieve.
