PT DI, Spain's EADS-CASA to Produce C-295 Planes

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) and European Aeronautic Defense and Space (EADS)-CASA Spain are to cooperate in producing C-295 light military transport planes, a DI official said.

"The C-295 plane is the result of CN-235 development with its fuselage extended by three meters while the wings are the same and the engine is bigger," PT DI president director Budi Santoso said after meeting with Airbus Military CEO and deputy minister of defense Domingo Urena Raso here on Tuesday.

The two sides agreed to build six to nine units. Some of the planes would be built by EADS-CASA in the aircraft manufacturing facility of Airbus Military in San Pablo, Sevilla, Spain.

The CN-235 plane was created jointly by PT DI then named PT Nurtanio and CASA. The C-295 that flew for the first time in 1998 measuring 50 percent bigger than its predecessor with PW127G turboprop engine made by Pratt & Whitney.

Especially for C-295 production, Budi said, three would be built at PT DI and the rest in Spain. Budi said the C-239 varieties would have load capacity of up to 9.3 tons and could be categorized as a medium military lift.

The C-295 aircraft is more efficient in maintenance and fuel consumption namely able to fly 5.300 kilometers long with fuel of up to 4.5 tons. Apart from that EADS-CASA has also successfully developed a C-295 variety MPA for maritime patrol and C-295 AEWCS with a early warning system capability and radar in the aircraft that could turn 360 degrees.

"With the models we can enter foreign markets. If we only rely on the domestic market it will not be sufficient," Budi said. He added the aircraft would be "the best selling medium airlifter" as it would be the one attracting the market.