UAE to buy IPTN aircraft: Tarmizi

JAKARTA (JP): United Arab Emirates (UAE) will buy seven aircraft from state-owned airplane manufacturer IPTN but has yet to announce which types, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher said here yesterday.

The minister said after a meeting with UAE's Ambassador to Indonesia, Muhammad Saeed Al-Kindi: "The UAE is ready to buy seven IPTN aircraft," quoted Antara.

Al-Kindi met with the minister to say farewell as he finished his tenure here, and to introduce his successor Ahmad Ali Hamad Al Mualla.

Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said in Abu Dhabi recently that Indonesia was interested in bidding for a contract to supply the UAE with CN-235 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft), a turboprop airplane, which is produced by IPTN in cooperation with Spain's CASA Aircraft Industry.

"The bidding is still going on," Alatas was quoted by Reuter as saying.

Earlier reports said that eight countries, including Turkey, Argentina, the United States, Pakistan, Columbia, Saudi Arabia, Burkina Faso and Sweden, have expressed interest in buying the N- 250 turboprop commuter aircraft, which was IPTN's first fully- Indonesian-designed aircraft.

IPTN said Pakistan had made a firm commitment to buy 15 of the N-250 airplanes, Columbia to purchase four airplanes, and Sweden 12 airplanes.

The other five countries have expressed strong interest in the fly-by-wire airplanes but have yet to make firm orders.

IPTN is taking part in the Paris air show by displaying Gatotkoco, its first N-250 prototype and its CN-235 MPA.

The state-owned company has built four N-250 prototypes -- the Gatotkoco, Krincingwesi, Koconegoro, and Pututguritno. (bnt)