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.