IPTN wins S. Korean deal

JAKARTA (JP): IPTN, the state-owned aircraft manufacturer, has signed a contract worth $143.4 million to supply eight CN-235- 220M propeller planes to South Korea's Ministry of Defense.

The contract was signed on Oct. 21 by Aditya Kusuma, IPTN vice president for sales and marketing, and Lt. Gen. Kwon Young-hyo, commanding general of the Ministry of National Defense, IPTN said in a statement received yesterday

The CN-235-220M is a military version aircraft with a range of 3,000 km, and capacity to carry 49 troopers, or cargo weighing up to five tons. The first four planes will be delivered in 1999 and the rest in 2000, IPTN said.

In return, Indonesia has pledged to purchase military equipment of equal value. This includes purchases of military trucks from South Korea for half of the contract's value. Details of remaining purchases will be determined before June 1999.

The CN-235 was jointly developed between the Bandung-based IPTN and CASA of Spain. IPTN has also developed the CN-235 MPA (military patrol aircraft), and is currently developing the CN- 235-330 Phoenix version for the Australian market.

To date, 278 from all versions of the CN-235 have been sold or are in the process of being delivered. CASA accounted for 120 aircraft, IPTN 106 and the rest were joint sales.