TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - French aircraft manufacturer Airbus Group is exploring a possibility to sell their A400M military transport fleet to the Indonesian government. After meeting with Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Human Rights HAM Wiranto last Wednesday, Airbus plans to meet Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and visit PT Dirgantara Indonesia's (PTDI) head office in Bandung, today, August 5.
"Keeping contact with PTDI is a good step in adhering to the Indonesian law," Airbus Defense & Space's military aircraft chief Fernando Alonso said on Thursday, August 4.
In June, Minister Ryamizard said the government was planning to buy A400M to reinforce the Indonesian Air Force. The aircraft type is estimated to have a selling price of 150 million Euro or around Rp 2.1 trillion.
"It's not expensive. The price will be adjusted to the buyers' demand for specification," Alonso said.
According to Alonso, Airbus is ready to meet everything Indonesia requires to make the A400M a military transport for the TNI Air Force. The terms and conditions may include transfers of technology, knowledge and the involvement of PTDI as the state's aircraft manufacturer in producing and maintaining the A400M.
Article 43 of the Law on Defense Industry stipulates that purchasing defense equipment from foreign manufacturers must involve the domestic defense industry. There is also the obligation to transfer technology, guarantee that there would be no potentials for embargoes, and a mandated trade return in the form of using at least 85 percent domestic components. At the start of production, local component should not be lower than 35 percent, and the figure must increase by 10 percent per every five years until it reaches 85 percent.
Alonso said Airbus has no problems with those rules, especially since the company and PTDH has nothing but good relationships after having co-developed a number of planes and helicopters. Some of their partnerships are when PTDI produced the 28-seat civilian aircraft NC212i, the Super Cougar military helicopter, and the Super Puma civil-military helicopters under Airbus' license.
The TI Air Force has been eyeing the A400M to replace the Hercules C-130. The Hercules planes TNI uses have entered retirement age as they were produced circa 1964 and 1978-1982. The A400M receives tough competition from Ukraine's Antonov State Company's aircraft, the Antonov An-70, which is estimated to have a price tag of Rp1.5 trillion a unit.
Airbus is also offering to help PTDI obtains international certification for the N219, a commuter category plane with a capacity of 19 passengers designed as a mini military carrier and other purposes such as transporting cargoes, evacuation, patrol, and rescue efforts. PTDI's official website states that the N219 has only been certified by the Indonesian Transportation Ministry. An international certificate is to be filed in 2017.
PTDI's director of technology and development Andi Alisjahbana said there is no detail yet about Airbus' plan to help with certification. The offer will be discussed during Alonso's visit to Bandung today. "It's a rather complex matter," he told Tempo yesterday.
Alonso said that Airbus is capable to certify planes similar to the N219 in a year's time.
As of June 30 this year, Airbus has received a sales order of 174 aircraft units including 50 from its homeland France, 53 from Germany, 22 from the UK, 27 from Spain, and four from Malaysia. Of the 174 ordered planes, 26 are already operating.
Airbus Group Spain's head of communications dr. Maggie Bergsma said the group is targeting to sell 300 units of aircraft in 30 years, including to Indonesia.
KHAIRUL ANAM
