CN-295 Expected to Mark Indonesia's Defense Industry President

Jakarta - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expect the new CN-295 plane productions by a joint cooperation of PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) and Airbus Military marks the rise of Indonesian defense industry. "I'm not only convinced, but our policy including the solution on financing and the procurement of primary defense equipment (Alutsista) order and purchasing is a real path for revitalization to the strategic industry," said the president here, Wednesday. As previously experienced by PT DI within the last 15 years that the company was beaten by the monetary crisis in 1997/1998, the company managed to survived until now. PT DI and Airbus Military has signed a cooperation agreement on production, operational and marketing for its products in PT Dirgantara Indonesia's office, Bandung, West Barat, which was witnessed by President Yudhoyono. The cooperation agreement of CN-295 production made the Indonesian aircraft firm as the main producer and sole marketing agent of the plane in the Asia Pacific region. On the sideline of the two aerospace companies, PT Dirgantara Indonesia also signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Defense Ministry to fulfill the Indonesian military's primary defense equipment procurement on 2014. Besides, the Indonesian National Police also signed an MoU with PT Dirgantara Indonesia to purchase the Police's operational equipments needed. Both agreement and memorandum of understanding are considered to be the Indonesian aircraft company to mark its production revival towards the future, the president said. "This is a real example of a win-win cooperation and of course with a real benefit to PT Dirgantara Indonesia, we must give full support to it," he said.*