A Bad Idea: Indonesia Plan to Procure Austria’s Entire Typhoon Fleet
Not long after the approval of Indonesia’s request to buy eight MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft by the United States State Department, Indonesia is now looking towards a European country to bolster its military arsenal. Indonesia’s Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, wrote a letter to his Austrian counterpart, Klaudia Tanner, seeking to initiate a negotiation to buy the country’s Eurofighter Typhoon fleet of 15 jets.
According to the Austrian-based newspaper, Die Presse, the letter was dated July 10 and arrived at the Austrian Defense Ministry late in the weekend. In the letter, Prabowo said he was fully aware of the sensitivity of Typhoons in Austria, which has been in a legal fight with European defense and aerospace giant Airbus over alleged overpricing. Austria bought the 15 Typhoons in 2002 in a contract worth 2 billion euro (US$2.28 billion) and has filed a lawsuit to recoup 1.1 billion euro against Airbus.
Military observers have said that procuring Austrian Typhoons is a huge mistake. Austrian Typhoons can be considered the lowest quality version of all Typhoons currently in service. It will be a huge setback for the Indonesian Air Force to procure it and here is why:
- Obsolete Radar
Typhoons currently in Austrian service are Tranche 1 Block 5 version rolled out of the factory in the early 2000s. Today, there are already multiple Tranche 3A version flying with numerous air forces in the world sporting CAPTOR-E AESA (Active electronically scanned array) radar. CAPTOR-E AESA radar is, without a doubt, much better in all aspects (detection range, life cycle, tracking number, etc.) than the CAPTOR-C solid-state, mechanically scanned array radar currently mounted on Austrian Typhoon. The worst part is, Austrian CAPTOR-C radar is not integrated to AMRAAM (advance medium-range air-to-air missile) and MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range missile. Integration of ASRAAM (advance short-range air-to-air missile) and AIM-9L/X Sidewinder also opted out by the Austrians. So the future operator will only be left to carry IRIS-T (infra-red imaging system tail/thrust vector-controlled) short-range air-to-air missile.
2. IRST Module Not Available
Austrian version also lacking on PIRATE IRST (infra-red search and tracking) module that can track enemy aircraft heat signature in short-to-medium range. IRST can help heat-seeking missiles carried by the Typhoon to find their target faster and more effectively. The absence of IRST will be a huge disadvantage in short-range air-to-air combat or “dogfight” for the Typhoon itself.
3. Lack of Electronic Defensive Measures
1. Laser warners
2. Flare launchers (IR decoys)
3. Chaff dispensers
4. Missile warners
5. Wingtip pods for ESCM
6. Towed decoy
Another module that the Austrian Typhoon also lacking is defensive protection in form of Praetorian DASS. Praetorian DASS (defensive aid sub-system) is an integral part of the Typhoon’s defense. DASS provide Typhoon with threat assessment, aircraft protection, and support measures in extremely hostile and severe environments. Without DASS, Typhoon would be pretty much left undefended and can be easily shot down.
4. No Ballistic Trajectory Computer
A ballistic trajectory computer is a device that helps the pilot to know where and when (time-on-target) the bomb will drop accurately. No ballistic computer means that the aircraft can not bring any unguided air-to-ground munition, such as “dumb” bombs, rockets, etc. So the Typhoon itself can fly no other mission than air defense mission. This also hinders the operator to put the Typhoon into its full capability.
5. High Cost Per Flight Hour (CPFH)
According to IHS Jane’s Jet Operational Cost White Paper, Eurofighter Typhoon’s CPFH is at USD $18,000. That number is not much different than the US-built F-35 stealth fighter’s CPFH and can be considered extremely expensive if compared to the current Indonesian Air Force backbone, the F-16 Falcon. The CPFH will take a heavy toll on the Indonesian Air Force budget if the Typhoon really gets into service. Most likely, all of the Typhoon will be grounded shortly after entering service because of the inability of the Indonesian Air Force to pay for its CPFH all year long.
6. Indonesian Air Force’s Lack of Suitable Weapon Load Arsenal
Indonesian Air Force is lacks the only missile available to the Austrian Typhoon: IRIS-T. The Air Force currently only use (for western-manufactured air-to-air missile) AIM-9J/P short-range missile and has ordered newer missile such as AMRAAM and AIM-9X from the US. The lack of missile for the Typhoon will leave the aircraft without offensive armament other than its one 27 mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with 150 rounds. Ordering the IRIS-T missiles or upgrading the Typhoon itself to integrate more weapons to cope with this will only add more to the already large procurement cost.
7. Logistical Nightmare
Introducing a new model of aircraft other than a similar or the same as the one currently in service will only make matters worse and prolonged. Currently, the Indonesian Air Force’s main fighter force consists of F-16, Su-27, and Su-30 aircraft. Introducing different models will result in more training for the maintenance crew and the pilot itself. So the aircraft will not be ready for service soon after it was purchased. Different model aircraft will also result in a more diverse spare part supply. If the same or similar model aircraft is in service, the spare part can be interchanged between one aircraft to another. This will result in easier maintenance for the aircraft.
