REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG -- Aircrafts manufactured by the national aerospace company, PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI), are meeting the needs of the domestic market, especially when it comes to strengthening the country's defenses. This was said by the President Director of PTDI, Budi Santoso.
In a special interview with Antara in Bandung, West Java on Tuesday, Budi said the PTDI is currently working on a number of aircraft production projects, including helicopters ordered by institutions in Indonesia and elsewhere. He explained that PTDI has completed work on CN235 and CN212 units ordered by the Indonesian Air Force and Navy.
Currently, the national aerospace company founded in 1976 under the name of PT. Industri Pesawat Terbang Nurtanio (IPTN) is updating aerodynamic and avionics technologies of CN235 and CN212. "The PTDI's production is particularly addressed to strengthen the national defense system," Budi noted, adding that when it comes to the armament, the PTDI cooperates with the national military weapons manufacturing company, PT. Pindad.
Apart from meeting the domestic orders, the PTDI is also manufacturing CN235 ordered by Thailand and Senegal, as well as CN212 ordered by the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The CN235 is a multipurpose aircraft with STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) technology that allows it to take off and land on short runways (800 meters) and rough surface.
Its ramp door makes loading and unloading cargoes or troops easy, and, therefore, it can be used as a military aircraft or a means of civil transport. Among the PTDI's aircrafts delivered to the customers in the country were seven units of CN235 military transport version, five units of CN235 civil transport version and two units of NC212.
Additionally, one unit of CN235 civilian transport has also been sent to Venezuela and two units have been delivered to Thailand. Meanwhile, two units of the military transport version have been delivered to Burkina Faso, six units to the United Arab Emirates, seven units to South Korea and six units to Malaysia.
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