Defense diplomacy involves the use of military force and defense equipment as instruments of foreign policy to achieve national interests and maintain regional stability. In practice, this includes multilateral and bilateral cooperation in the development and procurement of weapons systems and joint exercises. This article discusses two important aspects of defense diplomacy: Fighter jets as a diplomatic tool, and military alliances and technology diplomacy. The first section explains how fighter jet procurement and air defense cooperation strengthen strategic relations between countries, using examples of the Indonesia--France Rafale contract and NATO's Air Policing mission. The second section discusses the influence of military allies on the development of advanced military technology and foreign policy, highlighting examples of NATO and global alliance strategies such as AUKUS.
Fighter Jets as a Tool of Defense Diplomacy
Procurement of advanced defense equipment, especially fighter jets, is often accompanied by strategic agreements and state visits. As a concrete example, in May 2025 Indonesia and France signed a defense memorandum of understanding that could open up new orders for Rafale fighter jets and Scorpne submarines (Macron, 2025). French President Macron stated that the signing of the letter of intent "could open up new perspectives with orders for Rafales, Scorpnes and light frigates." Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that France is "one of Indonesia's main partners in modernizing defense equipment" and that the cooperation reflects "a shared commitment to maintaining regional stability." The initial contract for the purchase of 42 Rafales in 2022 (worth ~USD 8 billion) was expanded several times, indicating Jakarta's trust in French technology (Strangio, 2025). In addition to fighter jets, Indonesia also ordered 13 long-range air surveillance radars and two Scorpne submarines built with local cooperation boosting interoperability and technology transfer.
In the alliance arena, NATO provides concrete examples of air defense cooperation. NATO's Air Policing mission, particularly in the Baltic states, involves rotating contingents of allied fighter jets that continuously guard and protect the airspace of members who do not yet have full-fledged air forces. For example, in the past week the Air Policing mission in the Baltic region has had to respond to air violations by Russian aircraft several times (Kutielieva, 2025). Tony Lawrence, a researcher in Tallinn, said that the existence of the Air Policing mission "is a significant demonstration of NATO's solidarity with its Baltic allies" and its serious efforts to maintain their security. The data also shows that the mission successfully monitors and repels airspace violations, making an important contribution to the deterrent effect in the region (Adamowski & Banks, 2019). Such cooperation strengthens trust between member states and shows that fighter jets serve not only as a military force, but also as a political signal of solidarity and collective commitment.
Military Alliances and Technological Diplomacy
Military cooperation in strategic alliances extends beyond joint exercises to the development and procurement of advanced military technology. Alliances such as NATO, AUKUS (Australia, UK, US), and other multinational programs allow countries to pool resources to build capabilities that would be difficult to achieve on their own. For example, nearly eight of the nine partners in the F-35 Lightning II program are NATO members, making the F-35 the backbone of the alliance's next-generation air operations. In a speech ahead of the 2025 NATO summit, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance is targeting a joint purchase of at least 700 F-35 fighter jets by non-US member states, to improve interoperability and ease the security burden on the United States (Allison, 2025). This step demonstrates how alliance agreements influence the direction of national defense spending: allies commit to common platform standards to enhance coalition effectiveness.
In addition to the F-35, initiatives such as the Global Combat Air Programme (between Italy, Japan and the UK) and the AUKUS alliance demonstrate technological synergies in trilateral forums. The AUKUS program, for example, focuses on the transfer of nuclear-powered submarine technology and the development of advanced defense capabilities such as artificial intelligence and hypersonic weapons. With AUKUS, Australia is no longer just a buyer of defense technology, but is developing a domestic industrial base to produce and maintain advanced military systems. Similarly, future fighter programs such as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) demonstrate an alliance of Western and Asian nations (UK, Italy, Japan) working together to design next-generation aircraft, keeping military technological advances within the scope of strategic partners. In the context of NATO itself, joint investments in new domains (drones, long-range missile systems, cyber and space) are intensifying.
Such alliance cooperation also shapes the foreign policies of each country. Participation in a joint technology program requires a country to adjust its political orientation to that of its alliance partners. For example, Australia's decision to switch from purchasing conventional French submarines to nuclear submarines through AUKUS reflects a strategic pivot towards the Western bloc (US--UK), while increasing technological dependence on allies. Similarly, European countries acquiring the F-35 collectively demonstrate a political commitment to NATO's defense interests and coordination of common defense policies. Joint implementation of advanced technologies also strengthens bilateral and multilateral ties: for example, joint training and interoperability of combat systems strengthen military-political ties between countries, and facilitate coordination in the face of common threats.
Conclusion
Overall, fighter jet procurement and advanced military technology programs serve a dual role as a tool of military power and an instrument of strategic diplomacy. Fighter jet purchases are often accompanied by high-level political partnerships and industrial cooperation, as seen in the Indonesia--France Rafale contract. On the other hand, large military alliances such as NATO and AUKUS facilitate the development of advanced technologies through joint research and collective financing, while influencing the direction of foreign policy and international relations of alliance partners. Thus, modern defense diplomacy increasingly displays an integration between military and political aspects: the use of advanced defense equipment strengthens national security postures while also becoming a 'bridge' for political and strategic cooperation between countries.
Bibliography
