Iranians may buy seven Puma helicopters

Iranians may buy seven Puma helicopters

ABU DHABI (AFP): Indonesia is negotiating with Iran to sell seven civilian Puma helicopters it produces under license from the French giant Aerospatiale, and the deal could be clinched this year, visiting Indonesian state minister of research and technology B.J. Habibie said on Sunday.

Habibie told reporters at an international defense show that Aerospatiale had approved a request by the Industri Pesawat Terbang Nasional (IPTN), the state aircraft manufacturing company of which he is president, to supply Iran with the seven advanced super Puma NAS-332s.

"We are now negotiating with the Iranian oil company for the supply of the seven helicopters after we got approval from the mother company. I am optimistic the deal will be signed this year," he said. "Iran had asked for the helicopters and it would be our first deal with them."

Indonesia is among more than 40 countries represented by 600 firms at the five-day military show in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second to be staged in two years.

IPTN is exhibiting light weapons and aviation equipment, including the CN 235 and NC 212 fixed-wing aircraft and the NBO helicopter.

Other helicopters include the super Puma and Nbell 412, being produced under license from Bell helicopter Textron of the United States.

Habibie said Indonesia had already maintained six Aerospatiale helicopters for the UAE and sold it seven IPTN-produced CN 235 aircraft, delivery of which was completed last year.

He said Indonesia was now trying to sell four maritime patrol aircraft to the Emirates.