IPTN sells aircraft to UAE

JAKARTA (JP): State aircraft manufacturer PT Industry Pesawat Terbang Nusantara (IPTN) has won the tender to sell four CN-235 MPA aircraft to the United Arab Emirates, the company announced yesterday.

Company spokesman M.T. Satoto said IPTN would sign the sales contract in the next three months, and the airplanes, worth US$150 million, would be delivered in two to three years.

IPTN beat out several other international aircraft manufacturers, including Bombardier of Canada, Spain's CASA and Fokker of the Netherlands, for the tender.

Satoto said IPTN would also offer its products in the markets of other countries including Australia, Venezuela, Korea and the Philippines.

As of last year, IPTN's CN-235 aircraft have been used by several countries, including Turkey (52 units), South Korea (20), France (15), the United Arab Emirates (7) and Brunei Darussalam (1), he said. (das)