Indonesia collects seven Nomad planes<\/p>\n
KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara (JP): Seven of the 20 Nomad planes
\nordered by the Indonesian Navy from Australia arrived at El Tari
\nairport here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The planes were handed over in the northern Australian town of
\nDarwin to an Indonesian delegation led by Navy chief Vice Admiral
\nArief Kushariadi.<\/p>\n
Arief then led the 3.5 hour flight from Darwin to Kupang.<\/p>\n
\"The planes are in an excellent condition but we need to
\nchange the colors,\" he told journalists shortly after descending
\nthe aging plane.<\/p>\n
Indonesia bought 14 N-22s and six N-24s for maritime
\nsurveillance. The Navy has operated 18 Nomads before, 16 are
\nstill in operation.<\/p>\n
Another seven Nomads will be delivered in April and the
\nremaining six in June, Arief said.<\/p>\n
The planes will be serviced and repainted in Surabaya before
\nthey formally join the Navy fleet. Two of the N-24s will be used
\nas VIP transport planes, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The number of aircraft patrolling the vast Indonesian
\nterritories is just too small now,\" he said. \"We definitely need
\nmore planes.\"<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government has refused to disclose the cost of
\nthe used planes.<\/p>\n
Quoting a defense source, AFP reported that Indonesia paid
\nless than 10 million Australian dollars (US$8 million) for the
\nfleet adding it was \"a very good, cheap buy\".<\/p>\n
Canberra has a standing agreement to help maintain the
\nexisting fleet of Nomads, with three Australian engineers already
\nbased in the East Java town of Surabaya, the defense source said.<\/p>\n
Made in Australia in the 1970s, the twin-engine turboprop
\nNomads were used by the Australian military as heavy transport
\nand support aircraft, but were retired from the Australian
\nDefense Force in 1995 after becoming unsuitable for continued
\nmilitary use. (yac\/pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/indonesia-collects-seven-nomad-planes-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}