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PTDI hopes to develop own jet fighters with roles in KF-21 project, Rafale procurement
State-owned aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) aims to master technologies from French and South Korean aircraft makers to reach its ambition in producing an indigenous jet fighter.
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PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) president director Gita Amperiawan (second left) and Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Edwin Adrian Sumantha (second right) are flanked by the ministry's news division head Col. Sulistyanto (left), and PTDI production director Batara Silaban while posing in front of N219 Nurtanio aircraft on Sept. 27, 2024 at the PTDI facility in Bandung, West Java.
(JP/Nur Janti)
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tate-owned aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) is aiming to take part in the production of South Korean-led KF-21 Boramae and French-made Dassault Rafale jet fighters to further develop its own capabilities in designing and manufacturing such aircraft.
Although Indonesia is contributing only 7 percent to the joint development project for the KF-21, PTDI still hopes to be involved in the jet fighter final assembly.
The joint development project between Indonesia and South Korea is worth 8.8 trillion won or Rp 100 trillion (US$6.7 billion). South Korea initially paid 60 percent of the project, Indonesia paid 20 percent and South Korean aircraft maker Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) paid the remainder.
However, Indonesia’s shared contribution was rearranged due to the country’s repeated payment delays in the project, initially called the KF-X/IF-X.
In mid-August, South Korea granted Indonesia’s proposal to reduce the latter’s contribution to the project to 600 billion won or Rp 6.95 trillion from the initial amount of 1.6 trillion won or Rp 18.5 trillion.
The decision came as Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) expects the KF-21's development to cost around 7.6 trillion won, 500 billion won less than the initial budget, Yonhap reported.
PTDI president director Gita Amperiawan said that despite Indonesia chipping in only 7 percent of the shared contribution, the company would strive to secure a role in the final assembly, flight testing, certification, operation and maintenance of the supersonic jet fighter.
