THE polemic over the acquisition of 24 F-16 fi ghter planes under a special grant from the US government has gone far and wide. Nevertheless the much-needed fi ghter jets would need to be upgraded and retrofi tted to the massive tune of US$450-600 million, including insurance and delivery costs. People against this method of acquiring fi ghter jets for the air force maintain the money would best be spent on brand-new sophisticated series of the F-16s, albeit in much smaller numbers. The issue has been divisive, not just between members of the Defense Ministry and the Indonesian Air Force, but also within that service department itself. Who are the players behind this battle for second-hand jets?