Libya interested in buying CN-235 aircraft from PTDI<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
The Libyan government has expressed interest in purchasing CN-235
\naircraft from PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to replace old
\nRussian aircraft currently used by its army.<\/p>\n
Son of Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi, Seif al-Islam al-
\nQaddafi, visited the company's workshop in Bandung on Thursday
\nand made inquiries about the technology used in the CN-235.<\/p>\n
Sales director Iwan Sumekto, who accompanied Qaddafi, said
\nthat Libya has been using Antonov An-26 aircraft for more than 20
\nyears.<\/p>\n
\"They need to be replaced,\" said Sumekto. The 30- to 50-seater
\nCN-235 is suitable for Libya, which is not a vast country, he
\nexplained further. The aircraft is required to monitor its
\nterritorial and coastal areas.<\/p>\n
At the end of the tour, Qaddafi invited PTDI to show its
\nproducts in Tripoli. \"In December or January (next year) we will
\ngo to Libya,\" said Sumekto.<\/p>\n
Business development director Budi Wuraskito said that PTDI
\nofficials met President Qaddafi during former president Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri's visit to Libya in September last year.<\/p>\n
\"At first they inquired about Super Puma helicopters,\" said
\nWuraskito.<\/p>\n
PTDI, formerly known as PT Industri Pesawat Terbang Nusantara
\n(IPTN), was an ambitious project of former president Soeharto.
\nUnder then-minister of research and technology B.J. Habibie, the
\ncompany set a target to produce commercial aircraft by 2015.<\/p>\n
The company made headlines mid-last year, when its management
\nsuspended 9,670 workers, citing financial constraints as the
\ncompany had been facing difficulties in selling its aircraft.<\/p>\n
With the government's approval, 6,600 employees were dismissed
\nlast December. The government disbursed US$50 million in
\nseverance packages for the workers, who rejected them and
\ndemanded to be reinstated.<\/p>\n
PTDI delivered earlier this year military passenger planes,
\nCN-235-220, to Pakistan as part of an agreement, which was made
\ntwo years ago to purchase four planes worth US$52 million.<\/p>\n
PTDI is currently also contracted to supply aircraft
\ncomponents to British Aerospace and Boeing.<\/p>\n
The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has made a preliminary
\ncommitment to provide working capital for the projects with a
\nbond issue ranging between $15 million to $60 million.<\/p>\n
The bank is currently conducting a feasibility study, which is
\nexpected to be finished in February next year, to see whether or
\nnot PTDI was bankable.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/libya-interested-in-buying-cn-235-aircraft-from-ptdi-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}