Indonesia Exports Armored Vehicles to Malaysia

Anoa. (Photo: Berita HanKam)

January 28 2012, Banjarmasin: Head of the Indonesian Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) Marzan A Iskandar said his agency in cooperation with weapons maker PT Pindad was ready to export armored vehicles to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.

"BPPT and PT Pindad are cooperating in the production of armored vehicles to be exported to Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam," Marzan said here on Friday.

He said that his side was also concentrating on modernizing the combat equipment of the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) to replace its old equipment. The BPPT chief added that his agency had now almost finished 150 armored vehicles to replace the TNI-AD’s old combat equipment.

"Not only armored vehicles, the BPPT is now also able to produce explosive materials that can replace the imports."

Source: KOMPAS

RI could build MBT if technology was available

MBT Leopard 2A4 SAF. (Photo: Mindef)

January 20 2012, Jakarta: Indonesia could build its own main battle tank (MBT) if the country could acquire sufficient knowledge, Deputy for Science and Technology Relevance and Productivity at the Research and Technology Ministry, Teguh Rahardjo said on Friday in Subang, West Java.

The Indonesian Army’s plan to buy some 100 surplus, German-made Leopard 2A6 MBTs worth some US$280 million from the Dutch has drawn criticism from politicians and observers saying the government should have acquired such tanks from state-owned arms maker PT Pindad.

“The purchase of Leopard MBTs is an opportunity for researchers to learn how to improve their capabilities,” he said as quoted by Antara news agency.“The Leopard’s technical specifications such as in accuracy of fire are extremely advanced.”He added that Indonesia so far had only acquired the technology to make wheeled armored personnel carriers but not tracked tanks which could overcome various difficult terrains.

The Dutch army is abolishing its heavy armored divisions in defense budget cutbacks to cope with the prolonged economic crisis.

Teguh said his ministry was ready to help PT Pindad to assess and develop the technology used in the Leopard tank.“If this is to become a technology transfer program that will be developed nationally, we are aiming to master it in the next five to 10 years,” he said.“But of course it will depend on the readiness of the weapons and engine-producing industries.”He said it had been quite a long time since the Indonesian Military (TNI) had replaced its aging and obsolete tanks.

The Defense Ministry expects to sign the contract for the Leopard MBTs in the first half of this year despite strong opposition from several quarters including both Indonesian and Dutch parliamentarians.

Source: the Jakarta Post

RI could build MBT if technology was available

Leopard 2A4 Singapore Army. (Photo: Mindef)

January 20 2012, Jakarta: Indonesia could build its own main battle tank (MBT) if the country could acquire sufficient knowledge, Deputy for Science and Technology Relevance and Productivity at the Research and Technology Ministry, Teguh Rahardjo said on Friday in Subang, West Java.

The Indonesian Army’s plan to buy some 100 surplus, German-made Leopard 2A6 MBTs worth some US$280 million from the Dutch has drawn criticism from politicians and observers saying the government should have acquired such tanks from state-owned arms maker PT Pindad.

“The purchase of Leopard MBTs is an opportunity for researchers to learn how to improve their capabilities,” he said as quoted by Antara news agency.

“The Leopard’s technical specifications such as in accuracy of fire are extremely advanced.”
He added that Indonesia so far had only acquired the technology to make wheeled armored personnel carriers but not tracked tanks which could overcome various difficult terrains.

The Dutch army is abolishing its heavy armored divisions in defense budget cutbacks to cope with the prolonged economic crisis.

Teguh said his ministry was ready to help PT Pindad to assess and develop the technology used in the Leopard tank.

“If this is to become a technology transfer program that will be developed nationally, we are aiming to master it in the next five to 10 years,” he said.

“But of course it will depend on the readiness of the weapons and engine-producing industries.”
He said it had been quite a long time since the Indonesian Military (TNI) had replaced its aging and obsolete tanks.

The Defense Ministry expects to sign the contract for the Leopard MBTs in the first half of this year despite strong opposition from several quarters including both Indonesian and Dutch parliamentarians.

Source: the Jakarta Post

Indonesia firm delivers new patrol plane

CN235 MPA Indonesia Air Force. (Photo: Indonesia Air Force)

January 19 2012, Jakarta: The third of four CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft by PT Dirgantara Indonesia has been delivered to the South Korean coast guard.

The CN-235 is a twin-engine turboprop. It has a range of more than 3,100 miles, a cruise speed of 157 mph and is outfitted with a tactical computer system and tactical navigation.

The aircraft is 70 feet in length and weighs about 21,000 pounds.

"The delivery of another aircraft to the government of South Korea once again shows that the confidence of other nations in PTDI is still going strong," PTDI said. "This confidence will be maintained continuously, to allow PTDI to obtain subsequent contracts not only from the South Korean government but also from customers who require an aircraft of the size of the CN-235.

"Aircraft deliveries are also proving to the world that Indonesian workers are able to provide their contribution to the nation and to the state by using his work to meet the requirements of other nations throughout the world."

The first two aircraft were delivered to South Korea last May under a $94 million contract. PTDI said the fourth will be delivered during the first quarter of this year.

Source: Latin Business Today

N-219 plane to be produced soon

January 16 2012, Bandung, West Java: Engineers at Indonesian Aerospace (IAE) are building N-219, a 19-seater versatile, short-distance aircraft.

Journalists visiting the Bandung-based aircraft maker saw the mock-up of the aircraft as a futuristic, twin-engine turboprop aircraft. In the engineers’ drafting room, the complete design of the aircraft is ready for the next stage of preparation.

“Before entering serial production, we will make two prototypes of the aircraft this year. We need one prototype for flight test and another for static tests,” said IAE Director of Technology and Development, Dita Ardonni Jafri, who briefed the journalists on Friday (Jan. 13).

The new aircraft project’s current ready-for-production status is gained ever since IAE’s engineers began the project in 2006 with a series of basic test conducted until 2008.

Dita Ardonni added IAE would start full production of N-219 by 2014, about the time when many aging aircrafts of the class in Indonesia would need replacements. Several options for the power plant are under consideration, including the U.S.-made GE aviation engines.

A series of other tests, including wind tunnel test to ascertain the new aircraft’s aerodynamics excellence, have been carried out jointly with Indonesia’s Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT), according to Dita Ardonni.

“We hope to get the flight certification from Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport in 2014,” said Dita Ardonni, adding that making N-219 is not a difficult venture as IAE has earlier produced even bigger aircrafts successfully, including the 70-seater N-250 that flew in 1995.

Early commitment for buying N-219 has come from Merpati Nusantara Airlines (MNA), an airliner focusing on short-distance and difficult routes in the country’s eastern region where geographical locations are real challenge like those in Papua province.

MNA has an option for purchasing 20 N-219’s, an aircraft designed to be able to fly and land on even unpaved, makeshift runways as short as 600 meters, the typical runways found in many Indonesian remote airports and airstrips.

A market research done by IAE Marketing Division has indicated that Indonesia would need as many as 202 N-219 aircrafts, consisting of 97 for civilian transports and 105 military and special mission uses.

N-219 is also designed for maximum comfort and high maneuverability. It will have a more spacious cabin compared with other aircrafts of its class.

Equipped with bigger fuel tanks, the aircraft would be able to fly longer hours compared to its peers, making it possible for the aircraft to fly as far as 650 nautical miles with a maximum airspeed of 213 knots.

IAE has earlier produced the successful CN-235 aircrafts jointly with Casa of Spain. Users of CN-235 including Turkey (62 aircrafts), Indonesia (30), Korea (20), Thailand, Malaysia (eight) and French Air Force (19).

Other users are Azerbaijan, Bophuthatswana, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Senegal, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and the United States.

In 2011, IAE delivered three CN-235s of maritime surveillance types to Korea Coast Guard with another one to be delivered in March 2011.

Source: ANTARA News

Indonesia Buying Submarines from S Korea on Technology Transfer Term

The Republic of Korea submarine Nadaeyung (SS 069)/Chang Bogo class 1200t surfaces while conducting training exercises during “Rim of the Pacific” (RIMPAC) 2002. RIMPAC 2002 is designed to improve tactical proficiency in a wide array of combined operations at sea, while building cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between participating nations. Countries participating this year are: Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States. (U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class Michael J. Pusnik, Jr)

January 5 2012, Batam: Indonesia has signed a contract with a South Korean shipbuilding company on the purchase of three submarines with emphasis on technology transfer in the manufacturing process, Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoedin said.

Under the contract, South Korea`s Daewoo Shipbuidling and Marine Engineering (DSME) would build two of the submarines in Korea with the participation of Indonesian personnel in the manufacturing process and the third one in Indonesia in the dockyard of PT PAL in East Java, he said.

"The purpose of the US$ 1.80 billion scheme is also transfer of technology in the building of submarines," Sjafrie said.

Meanwhile, Maj Gen Ediwan Prabowo, head of the defense ministry`s defense facilities agency, said the first submarine would be entirely built in South Korea with 30 personnel of PT PAL participating in the project as interns.

The PT PAL people would be assigned to master the designing phase of the submarine building project and participate in preparations to construct the second submarine.

Later, Indonesia would send up to 130 shipbuilding personnel to Korea to be involved in the process of making the second submarine.

"Eventually, we hope the third submarine can be wholly built at the dockyard of PT PAL in Indonesia so that local human resources can gain full submarine building competence," he said.

Ediwan said the government expected the first submarine to be completed in 2015, the second in 2016 and the third in 2017.

"With the acquisition of the three new submarines, the Indonesian Navy`s combat and deterrent capability will be significantly enhanced," he said.

Source: ANTARA News