The thing is, in our case redundancy is often preferred rather than having to depend to only one source of weapon provider. Of course this comes with the risk of logistical nightmare, and - as many other have said - that we've already become like showroom for military equipment from various countries.
Well if we take a look from ORBA era the possession of F5E Tiger, A4 Skyhawk continued by F16+Hawk pretty much explain the roadmap. Air Supperioriy and Tempur Taktis is being taken and try to be implemented in conjunction to the development of Aerospace industry to shapen up Nurtanio at that time. Those Hawks and F16 numbers were going to be acquired in large numbers. I like the way they draw and execute the map. The hard infrastructure was build, the soft infrastucture/Human resource was build (Habibie scholarship program) But then economic crisis & "Democracy" came in....
Then come SBY era: Military embargo forced us to get closer to Russia but sialnya at that time Russia was also in trouble from USSR disband making the supply chain almost impossible as now their factory was in "others" possession. But stil we linger on, the memory of US embargo was too fresh for us to get closer again to US. The turnover was when the Elang Gurun program successfully overtaking the plan to add some more Sukhoi. On his period we are trying to find military partner we can rely on too, and eagerly unwilling to rely solely to US military equipment. The reality there isnt much choice, European products still using US made products so the diversity we looking at would be vague so we stick to Russia for alternative.
Then comes JKW era where Tiongkok is starting to show their teeth and US starting to get nervous. Tiongkok starting be more aggresive in pursuing their national interest. On the other hand Thrump was in charge with the America first policy and also being aggresive in pursuing their national interest pissing everyone around including us. Our AU still dont want to change course from their already established infrastructure of F16 & Sukhoi, but geopolitics dictate differently. But now comes French which was also pissed by the Thrump administration and swear to try to take all US made products from their military productions line. Time continues, then here comes 08 who some said fancy French made military products. The timing is perfect.....
Now I wrote this long threat to remind us that we once have a good Military Jet fighter planning nicely in-line with the road map of Aerospace Industry. But strings of events divert us in a way to the point we are today. What I see today is our turning point to plan and project our future forces posture to be in line with our foreign policy and geopolitics situation for decades to come. We must be ready and move fast to expose our military personel with the latest technology, its time we invest in our soft infratructure and at the same time building the hard infrastructure. Tomorrow plan is prolly going to be French for diversification and geopolitics, still getting US made Fighter but refuse to hear their lips service and ask for their commitment by pushing them to deliver F15X. Trade more to Tiongkok for our economic development program. This is the transition era, so yeah it will look like a showroom, it that might not be the case since there are reasons and planning behind it. But then Covid comes in.......
THE END
