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strong>Nov. 23, 2015

The Indonesian Air Force has purchased a US$55 million helicopter set to arrive in the country next year to support President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo'€™s busy schedule.

The new helicopter, an AW-101 from Rome-based helicopter design and manufacturing company AgustaWestland, had been included in the Air Force'€™s five-year strategic plan (renstra) 2014 to 2019, Air Force spokesman First Marshall Dwi Badarmanto said on Monday.

'€œIt was not bought specially for the president only, but it will also be used by VVIP guests including the President, Vice President and state guests,'€ he said as quoted by newsportal Tempo.co. Dwi said the helicopter was purchased to replace the old Super Puma, which had been used for the past 25 years.

The first AW-101 will arrive in Indonesia next year and two more will be imported to the country in 2017.

Despite claiming that the helicopter was not purchased specially for Jokowi, Dwi said the new AW-101 would support the President'€™s mobility due to its more advanced technology and speed with its three engines and greater passenger capacity.

'€œThe Super Puma could only carry seven passengers, whereas the AW-101 can carry 13. It is also more comfortable,'€ he said.

The aircraft is 19.53 meters long with a rotor diameter if 18.59 meters. The 6.62-meters tall helicopter uses three Rolls Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01 turbo shaft engines of 1,566kW.

Your comments:

It'€™s confuses me. Why three helicopters? It doesn'€™t matter if the government buys them from abroad for quality reasons, the question is why buy three? So it is more time-efficient for our President, Vice President, VIP guests? That'€™s good. But why three helicopters?

Why buy three helicopters to replace a single aging Puma aircraft? Let us be wise in the use of state funds.

I am not an economist, I am just an ordinary person who thinks that if we can buy three new helicopters, why are there no significant funds for the prevention of smoke in Kalimantan? Why do we just wait for God'€™s mercy to send rain down to our earth?

Mr. Jokowi, please help me to understand why.

Rena Zumu

Mr. President, please take an ojek like the rest of us.

Betawi Spring

Mr. Jokowi, when will you be able to use those choppers as a bridge to establish wealth for all remote areas and build infrastructure over the thousands of Indonesian islands?

Gregdaru

Jokowi thinks he is the next Obummer. Spending US$55 million while many still go hungry is simply a sin.

Joko Ono

Remember the early days of his presidency when he tried to be humble by flying economy? Now there are allegations that ministers are asking for 11 percent cuts of Freeport shares in his name and he is buying $55 million helicopters. Jokowi and the Fat Mama are having a huge laugh at the expense of voters.

This is why Islamism is attractive to young poor people. Secular leaders are greedy and corrupt, driving the disenfranchised into the arms of dangerous extremists.

Lasem Benny

Do you think the Prosperous Justice Party is any better with its cattle scandal? The reason why extremists won'€™t take hold is because the secular elite is very good at getting the Islamists into government and dragging them into the mud.

Tronas

Does Indonesia have to have a steel plated, bullet proof glass Kijang/Timor Turbo for our ministers and President?

I agree that helicopters are more suitable for when he makes one of his public appearances.

AnimisticGod

I think it is OK to replace the 25-year-old Super Puma, but why would you buy three AW101 to replace one Super Puma?

As for using Indonesian-made helicopters to ferry the President of the republic, I think that as much as I dislike Jokowi for his silence on corruption, his life is definitely worth much more than any of ours, let'€™s face it.

Please just buy one.

Siang Malam

I also believe that it would be way smarter to choose a helicopter produced abroad to a locally assembled or produced one.

Honestly, I don'€™t even trust locally assembled vehicles all too much '€” especially if produced for local consumption '€” I don'€™t know why (well, actually, I'€™ve had some experience there) but I have always had the impression that inferior quality components are being used in their assembly compared with those in vehicles for export.

Gordon Freeman

It is clearly stated that it will also be used by VVIP guests, including the President, the vice president and state guests, but that'€™s for the first helicopter.

As for the other two helicopters, my guess is that there is anticipation of more foreign visitors coming to Indonesia and more trips being required by Jusuf Kalla & company, not forgetting the marine sectors that Jokowi has opened up in recent times and the new push for economic growth by the Trade Minister Thomas Lembong.

Luwanto