IPTN and Hawker to make CN-235-330 plane parts

IPTN and Hawker to make CN-235-330 plane parts

MELBOURNE (Antara): Indonesian aircraft manufacturer IPTN signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) here Thursday with Hawker de Havilland for the composite design and manufacture of the CN-235-330 aircraft.

The MOU was signed by IPTN vice president for marketing Aditya Kusuma and Hawker marketing manager Frank Makin at the Australian Air Show at Avalon Airport, Geelong, which ends Sunday.

The project is worth A$18 million. Hawker will provide A$11.5 million and IPTN A$6.5 million. The agreement is a follow up to IPTN's proposal to supply Australia with CN-235-330 Phoenix aircraft.

The Royal Australian Air Force has said it will replace its Caribous planes.

Kusuma said the two companies would produce CN-235-330 components in the project's first stage.

He said the cooperation was expected to give the two companies a chance to exchange experts and open new job and investment opportunities.

He said IPTN would send several experts to Hawker de Havilland's factory in Bankstown, New South Wales.

Kusuma said he hoped the two companies could broaden the cooperation to cover other projects like the "Light Tactical Transport Aircraft Capability" next year.

Aerospace Technical Services' Michael Jones, in his capacity as IPTN Phoenix project manager in Australia, said he hoped the cooperation would not only be applied only for the CN-235-330 Phoenix but also for other aircraft like the N-250 and N-2130.

Australia's Shadow Minister for Transport Lindsay Tanner welcomed the signing of the MOU because it was the realization of talks between former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating and Indonesian State Minister for Research and Technology B.J. Habibie.

Also Thursday, a cooperation was signed by IPTN and the Royal Aeronautical Society Australian Division.