History of the Indonesian Air Force's F-16 fighter jet purchase

 The history of the Indonesian Air Force's (TNI AU) F-16 fighter jet purchase is divided into two major procurement periods that significantly strengthened Indonesia's air defense.

1. The "Peace Bima Sena I" Project (1986–1989) In the mid-1980s, specifically in 1986, the Indonesian government decided to purchase a squadron of fighter jets to modernize its defense equipment. Through the project, dubbed Peace Bima Sena I, Indonesia ordered 12 F-16s.

Variant: F-16 A/B Block 15 OCU (Operational Capability Upgrade).

Arrival: The first three units landed at Iswahjudi Air Base, Madiun, on December 12, 1989.

Location: These aircraft became the mainstay of Air Squadron 3.

2. "Peace Bima Sena II" Project (2011–2018) After facing obstacles due to a spare parts embargo from the United States, Indonesia bolstered its F-16 fleet through an agreement in 2011. This project was known as Peace Bima Sena II.

Variant: F-16 C/D Block 25, later upgraded to the same capabilities as the Block 52ID.

Quantity: A total of 24 former aircraft (excess defense articles) from the US Air Force (USAF) were acquired and thoroughly refurbished.

Operational: All units have officially strengthened the Indonesian Air Force's defense equipment since 2018.

3. Capability Enhancement Program - Enhanced Mid-Life Update (eMLU) and Falcon Structural Augmentation Roadmap (Falcon STAR). To extend the service life and increase combat effectiveness, the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) is implementing the EMLU or Falcon STAR program.

Time: September 2017 - March 2026

The final unit (TS-1608) was delivered on March 2, 2026, at Iswahjudi Air Force Base.

Objective: Improve the avionics and radar capabilities of the first batch of F-16 A/B aircraft and extend the structural life of the aircraft to compete with modern technology.

Implementation: This program involves Indonesian technicians from Iswahjudi Air Force Base in collaboration with Lockheed Martin.

To date, the F-16 fleet remains the backbone of Indonesia's air force, alongside other fighter aircraft such as the Sukhoi and T-50.