KL to assemble RI CN-235 aircraft

KL to assemble RI CN-235 aircraft

MALAYSIA: A Malaysian aeronautical company signed on Monday an
agreement with an Indonesian aircraft manufacturer to assemble
and market its multi-role CN-235 plane here.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by officials of PT
Dirgantara of Indonesia and Grouptech of Malaysia at a ceremony,
witnessed by visiting Indonesian President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Details of the agreement were not immediately revealed and it
was not clear when Grouptech Sdn. Bhd. would start assembling the
CN-235 turboprop planes, which are primarily used by militaries
for emergency evacuation and as a maritime patrol craft.

Under the MOU, both parties will jointly manufacture and
market CN-235 aircraft regionally as well as to Islamic countries
and developing countries, said a statement by Grouptech.

Dirgantara's plant is located in Bandung, Indonesia.

The CN-235 was developed in the early 1980s by Construcciones
Aeronauticas S.A, or CASA, now known as EADS CASA, and
Indonesia's IPTN, which is now known as Dirgantara. --AP