There's been a big commotion in Indonesia recently! First, the defense minister confirmed the purchase of Chinese J-10 fighter jets. Then came news about buying 022 missile boats and CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles, and even second-hand frigates were arranged. By October 21st, the news became more specific: The Indonesian Navy plans to purchase 7 second-hand 053H3 or 054 frigates, 3 039A conventional submarines, 42 J-10B fighter jets, at least 10 022 missile boats, plus a battalion of YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles!

This is a massive military sale, the largest in Chinese history, surpassing even Pakistan's long-term cooperation scale. Indonesia's procurement not only has an astonishing quantity, but also consists of "ready stock", which can be seen as directly converting "victory dividends".

From a "supporting role" to a "main role", why have Chinese weapons made a comeback in Indonesia? In the past, Indonesia was seen by the United States as a potential regional ally, and its arms procurement followed a "diversified" strategy, with France's Rafale and South Korea's KF-21 once being options. While Chinese weapons have also appeared, they were more like "supporting players" in the system — one important constraint was the territorial dispute between the two countries in the South China Sea, and there was always a layer of strategic mistrust.

But now the situation is completely different. This large-scale, systematic procurement indicates that the strategic trust between China and Indonesia has reached an unprecedented height. Both sides are able to transcend the South China Sea disputes and conduct in-depth cooperation in the defense field, which itself is a strong strategic signal. The United States explicitly refused to sell weapons to Indonesia, indirectly accelerating this shift, but the fundamental reason lies in the substantial improvement of bilateral relations.

Of course, extreme cost-effectiveness remains the key factor for Indonesia's decision. With many islands and vast sea areas, Indonesia needs a large number of mature, reliable, and affordable equipment to quickly form combat power. Chinese second-hand warships and fighter jets may only require a small fee for refitting and major repairs, along with ammunition, to be put into service directly, which is much more practical than Western high prices.

More importantly, Indonesia may be actively sending a "side-taking" signal. In the past, Pakistan fully adopted the Chinese equipment system and achieved a 7:0 victory in actual combat, showing regional countries the combat effectiveness of the "Chinese equipment system." Indonesia's procurement this time is not just buying weapons, but preparing to integrate into China's combat system, from the J-10B to the YJ-12, from frigates to submarines, and in the future, it may even connect to China's satellite reconnaissance and data link systems.

"Chinese armament" is a long-term process, but the curtain has already opened. The Indonesian military may, in the future, like Pakistan, fully switch to the Chinese equipment system. However, this process will take longer, as Indonesia's past equipment sources are complex and need time to transition. But once the first step is taken, subsequent purchases of early warning aircraft, drones, electronic warfare systems, radar systems, and so on, may become unstoppable.

This also reveals a new approach to China's military sales: no longer selling individual equipment, but packaging an entire combat system. From training, maintenance to ammunition, upgrades, all are long-term business. Indonesia's recent procurement is not just military trade, but a carefully considered strategic shift.

In the future, if all these equipment are delivered, the combat capabilities of Indonesia's navy and air force will jump up a level. And the competitive advantages of China's military industry will become more stable through these "systematized" orders.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7564610204030009898/

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