Su-35 opponents F-35 in air duel
Politically and militarily, Australia still considers Indonesia as a threat.
Therefore, the purchase of 100 units of F-35 Lightning II jet fighter by Australia is really a serious threat to Indonesia.
To buy 100 stealth fighter jets that have the most advanced war technology system, Australia has poured funds amounting to Rp227 trillion or more than 2 times the TNI budget in 2018 which 'only' about Rp104 trillion.
The presence of the F-35 if it violates the territory of East Indonesia will be difficult to detect by the fourth generation TNI AU fighter jets like the F-16 and the Su-27/30 because of the technology side is not a match.
When a number of F-18 Hornets flew over the airspace of East Indonesia after the East Timor referendum (1999), the TNI air force based in Kupang, NTT, could only allow the Austrlaian jet fighters to fly freely before finally returning to the airspace of Australia.
If Indonesia has not been able to receive about 11 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, the presence of the F-35 Australia who deliberately entered the Indonesian airspace will be difficult to ambush and be expelled.
