PT DI delivers airplanes to three institutions

JAKARTA. State aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) handed over on Tuesday a number of aircraft to three government agencies.

PT DI delivered three CN-295 medium transport airplanes and six Bell-412 EP medium transport helicopters to the Defense Ministry during a ceremony at its facility in Bandung.

Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro attended the ceremony as well as the Indonesian Military (TNI) commander Gen. Moeldoko and the National Police chief Gen. Sutarman.

In addition to the Defense Ministry, the aircraft manufacturer also handed over helicopters to the National Police and the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).

Budi Santoso, president director of the aircraft manufacturer, handed over the three CN-295s and six Bell 412 EPs to the Defense Ministry’s Defense Facilities Agency head Rear Adm. Rachmad Lubis.

“The simultaneous delivery of aircraft to three government agencies is a very proud moment,” Budi said in a media release.

“This is PT DI’s commitment to fulfill the needs of locally made major weapon systems.”

Budi added that the Defense Industry Policy Committee (KKIP) had been working not only to supply the TNI but also other government agencies with locally made aircraft.

The police received one Bell-412 EP helicopter, which will be operated by the Air Police Directorate, while Basarnas received two AS365 N3+ Dauphin medium-weight helicopters.

Budi said that the contract with the police was signed on July 1 while the contract with Basarnas was signed on Nov. 28, 2012.

The Defense Ministry ordered nine CN-295s in 2012 and has so far received a five of them. The remaining four airplanes will be delivered in 2014 and 2015.

The Air Force’s 2nd Squadron will operate the CN-295s as replacements for the ageing Dutch-made Fokker 27 Troopships.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Army is using the Bell 412s for transport and assault missions. (Arya Dipa)