A three-day sequence of aircraft access, political dialogue and military cooperation placed the France–Indonesia defence relationship firmly in the public view from September 22 to 24. What began with a media encounter at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base developed into the first annual dialogue between the countries’ defence ministers, a joint air exercise and ministerial visits focused on submarine construction and military education.
Together, the connected events showed how the partnership was moving beyond equipment procurement towards interoperability, technology transfer, industrial capacity and long-term institutional ties.
Media Day Opens the PEGASE Mission
The programme began on September 22, when the French Air and Space Force opened the PEGASE 2026 deployment at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base to Indonesian and international journalists.
Media representatives toured the French Rafale F4 fighters, A330 MRTT Phénix tanker-transports and A400M Atlas airlifters before meeting Major General Julien Sabéné, the mission commander. Pilots, engineers, tanker crews and transport specialists explained how the three aircraft types operated as one expeditionary system.
The Rafale provided the combat capability, while the Phénix extended its reach through aerial refuelling and transported passengers and equipment. The A400M carried personnel, maintenance systems and bulky cargo, allowing the deployment to operate far from permanent French bases.
The Indonesian stop involved four French Rafales, three A330 MRTT Phénix aircraft and two A400Ms. They were joined by three Indonesian Rafales and two Indonesian A400Ms, highlighting the growing number of platforms shared by the two air forces. PEGASE 2026 marked the fifth time the French mission had stopped in Indonesia.
A 40,000-Kilometre Demonstration of Reach
Running from September 8 to October 15, PEGASE 2026 is the seventh long-range deployment conducted under the series. Around 300 personnel, four Rafale fighters, three A330 MRTTs and two A400Ms are undertaking a journey of more than 40,000 kilometres.
After departing Istres Air Base in southern France, the mission travelled through Greenland, Canada and Alaska before crossing the Pacific through Japan and South Korea. The aircraft arrived in Indonesia on September 20 and will remain until September 25 before continuing towards India, Réunion, Qatar and Egypt.
The unusual Arctic route tested the force’s ability to operate in extreme cold, use unfamiliar infrastructure and establish an alternative corridor to the Indo-Pacific.
“It’s important for us that we explore different routes,” Major General Sabéné said when explaining the operational value of the northern path.
For France, the deployment demonstrated long-range air power. For Indonesia, however, the Jakarta stop offered something more practical: an opportunity to train alongside a military operating several of the same aircraft.
Political Dialogue Raises the Partnership’s Ambition
The operational mission acquired greater political weight on September 23, when French Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans Catherine Vautrin began a two-day official visit to Indonesia.
The visit followed the May 28, 2026, state visit during which the French and Indonesian presidents elevated bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Vautrin’s programme was intended to translate that political commitment into deeper defence cooperation.
Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin received Vautrin and her delegation at the Ministry of Defence in Jakarta. Their meeting became the first annual Indonesia–France Defence Ministers’ Dialogue, creating a regular senior-level mechanism for reviewing cooperation and setting priorities.
The ministers discussed joint exercises, military education, personnel exchanges and major equipment programmes. Plans included the Garuda Guerrier joint exercise in France in November 2026 and the further development of bilateral dialogue mechanisms during the same month. Sjafrie emphasized that cooperation should strengthen not only defence equipment but also personnel capabilities, professionalism and institutional relationships.
Shared Aircraft Take to the Sky
On September 24, the two ministers visited Halim to observe the joint PEGASE exercise conducted by the Indonesian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force.
The programme included a static parachute jump by Indonesian Air Force special-forces personnel from an Indonesian A400M, a joint flypast involving Indonesian and French Rafales and an aerial-refuelling formation featuring an A330 MRTT and Rafale fighters.
The exercise demonstrated how shared platforms could support compatible procedures in flight operations, transport, refuelling and mission planning. Vautrin praised the capability displayed by the Indonesian personnel, particularly the parachute operation.
More importantly, the activities moved cooperation from discussion to practice. Interoperability cannot be created through contracts alone. It develops when pilots, technicians, planners and ground crews repeatedly work together under operational conditions.
Indonesia Enters Its Rafale Era
Indonesia’s acquisition of 42 Rafale fighters remains the most visible foundation of the expanding partnership. Indonesian pilots, technicians and support personnel have undergone training in France, while facilities and operational systems have been developed to sustain the fleet at home.
Indonesia’s A400M acquisition adds another shared capability, particularly relevant to strategic transport and humanitarian assistance. In an archipelagic country frequently affected by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and other emergencies, long-range air mobility has a direct national purpose beyond conventional military operations.
PEGASE therefore arrived at a significant moment. French aircrews were no longer visiting only to introduce their platforms; they were training with an Indonesian force beginning to operate the same aircraft. That shift allowed conversations to progress towards maintenance, logistics, safety, aerial refuelling and coordinated missions.
From the Runway to the Shipyard
Vautrin’s visit then extended the partnership from air power to naval industry. Accompanied by Indonesian Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto, she travelled to Surabaya for a programme focused on shipbuilding and maritime cooperation.
At the PT PAL shipyard, the minister was scheduled to review work connected to two Scorpène Evolved submarines purchased by Indonesia in 2024 and being constructed domestically through cooperation with France’s Naval Group. Naval Group Chairman and CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet joined the visit.
The project is strategically significant because the submarines are being built in Indonesia rather than simply delivered as completed vessels. This connects procurement with technology transfer, workforce development, local production and Indonesia’s ambition to strengthen its domestic defence industry.
Vautrin also met French Naval Group personnel stationed in Surabaya and their families, adding a human dimension to a programme usually described through contracts, technology and industrial targets.
Military Education Completes the Journey
The minister’s Surabaya programme also included a visit to the Indonesian Naval Academy. Accompanied by Donny Ermawan Taufanto, Vautrin met naval leaders and cadets as the two countries explored stronger operational and military-education cooperation.
Particular attention was given to cadets studying French. Their presence demonstrated that defence cooperation depends as much on language, education and personal relationships as it does on aircraft or submarines.
Indonesia and France have continued to expand officer exchanges and professional training, creating connections that can last throughout military careers. Such relationships help officers understand each other’s institutions and develop the trust required during joint exercises, humanitarian operations or regional crises.
From Equipment to Shared Readiness
Taken together, the Media Day, ministerial dialogue, Halim exercise and Surabaya visits formed one connected story. The aircraft display introduced the scale of French operational reach. The ministerial meeting established political direction. The joint flights tested practical cooperation, while the shipyard and naval-academy visits focused on industrial capacity and future personnel.
France and Indonesia approach regional security from different positions. France is a European and resident Indo-Pacific power, while Indonesia follows an independent and active foreign policy at the centre of ASEAN. Both nevertheless emphasize sovereignty, strategic autonomy and a regional order governed by international law.
When the French aircraft depart Indonesia on September 25, PEGASE 2026 will leave more than images of Rafales over Jakarta. Its deeper legacy will lie in the procedures tested, knowledge exchanged and institutional connections strengthened—from the flight line at Halim to the submarine workshops and classrooms of Surabaya.
