Answering flying ambulance vision, BRIN matures N219 aircraft ecosystem

The Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satria, has revealed that his agency is currently maturing the ecosystem of the N219 aircraft and its amphibious variant (N219A) to realise the flying ambulance vision initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.

“Answering the vision of flying ambulances and future medical logistics, BRIN relies on the excellence of national aerospace technology. We are maturing the ecosystem of the N219 aircraft and its amphibious variant (N219A),” said BRIN Head Arif Satria to ANTARA in Jakarta on Sunday.

Arif stated that the N219 aircraft, developed together with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI), possesses Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capability, which allows the aircraft to land on both land and water for medical evacuation in archipelagic regions.

“This high-endurance unmanned platform provides an independent and reliable system for various critical missions, from tactical monitoring to future emergency logistics projection,” said Arif Satria.

It was previously known that President Prabowo Subianto said the government would prepare air ambulances in the form of helicopters and small aircraft to accelerate the evacuation of people requiring health services, especially in areas with difficult access.

He noted that there are still people who must travel up to seven to nine hours to obtain health services, including mothers who need assistance during childbirth.

“For that reason, we will also create air ambulances with helicopters and small aircraft that can land on grass fields, sand fields, and can land on riverbanks, so that none of our people cannot be evacuated if they are ill,” he said in the Delivery of the Government’s Introduction/Statement on the Bill on the 2027 State Budget along with its Financial Note on Friday (14/8).