Its likely not ideal if there plan is the Apache or just that the sim has no other aircraft they like for the training. But even China has used land attack helicopters on there Heli carriers as a test. If your facing a opponent with limited anti-air capability helicopter is good enough and you can just except the salt damage.
For China it could mean there is a sea going attack helicopter on the way for Indonesia they could be planning to import something new. I doubt just attack drones are enough manned aircraft have utility of being manned.
AIRSPACE REVIEW – PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has secured an Industrial Collaboration Agreement (ICA) with South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to produce 15% of the airframe parts of the KF-21Boramae fighter jet for the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU).
This ICA is a continuation of the completion of the EMD ( Engineering and Manufacturing Development ) Phase of the KF-21 between PTDI and KAI last May, which allows the aircraft to then enter the mass production phase and commercialization stage.
Currently, PTDI and KAI are jointly pushing for the Ministry of Defense to secure a contract to procure 16 KF-21s for the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU), with an estimated value of US$2.9 billion (approximately Rp51.65 trillion). Delivery of the first three aircraft is projected for late 2028 or early 2029.
VP of Business Development & Marketing PTDI, Heber MF Panjaitan, conveyed this in a discussion with Airspace Review at the TNI Fair event which took place at the National Monument (Monas) area, Central Jakarta on Saturday (19/9).
The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy (KSAL) Admiral Muhammad Ali hopes that the KRI Sriwijaya-100 will be equipped with fighter jets that can take off and land vertically from ships, such as the Harrier or F-35B .
“Yes, that’s the hope. That’s what the Navy wants ( the Harrier and F-35 ),” Ali said at Pier 106-107, Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, Thursday (September 24, 2026).
However, Ali said the hope of having the fighter jet depended on budget conditions.
“But the point is, this ship is capable of landing and taking off fighter jets. It was previously used for the Sea Harrier and the F-35B ,” he explained.
Harrier which the manufacturer already stopped the support, obsolete technology, and no spare parts.
Or
F-35B which don’t fit in the elevator, would literally burn through the deck, and practically impossible to get if you’re not US subordinate, western-oriented nation, and rich
F-35 seems to be more realistic then you think USA is trying to fire sale them (this will do wonders for operational security. Courier packaging parts what could go wrong)
Anyway this seems to be coming from the need to maintain orders for parts and airframes to make the mainstay USA F-35 parts catalog even possible.
VTOL jets also have design trade offs there not a free lunch this is a reason why China built a catapult on her Type 076. You use normal carrier J-35 if you need on on the 076 more range more payload less part issues in theory.
Helicopters and drones are fine they will always do 90% of the work there is a good chance they put Bayraktar Kızılelma drone on her. All things considered she is the ideal size to the task.
I love the Harrier, it doesn’t sound realistic for them to be able to get Harrier IIs though. They’d probably have to buy the ex-US Marine or Navy Harrier IIs that retired in the last 10~ years, but I have no idea how they’d maintain them considering Italy and Spain are struggling to maintain them and might put it into an earlier retirement than they’d hoped. They’d have to strike a helluva deal.
