Eurofighter Offer to Assemble Typhoon in Indonesia
15 April 2015 15:30 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Representative of the European-based jet fighter manufacturer, Eurofighter, had visited Indonesia and displayed a replica of the company's famous fighter jet, Typhoon, in a hangar belonging to state-owned aircraft company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI). Eurofighter is currently trying to promote the Typhoon to replace the Indonesian Airforce’s aging F-5 fighter jets.
Martin Elbourne, Eurofighter's Head of Industrial Offset promised that the company will conduct technology transfer if Indonesia was to purchase the Typhoon. "We proposed that the final assembling to be done in Indonesia, at PT DI," Martin said to journalists on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.
Martin even mentioned that the company planned to make Indonesia one of its production bases following England, Germany, Spain, and Italy.
Martin added that the transfer of technology program will help Indonesia to participate in the KFX/IFX fighter jet program in cooperation with South Korea. The program, Martin asserted, will increase Indonesia's bargaining power in bidding for the KFX/IFX project because currently, Indonesia has no capability to manufacture fighter jets.
INDRA WIJAYA