Airbus Military, PT DI team for C212 upgrade

Airbus Military and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) will jointly launch an upgraded version of the Airbus Military C212-400 under a teaming agreement announced on 8 November. The aircraft will be renamed as NC212 and marketed for both civil and military customers.

The NC212 will be offered in the light aircraft market segment, and will be equipped with new digital avionics and autopilot systems. It will also have a new civil interior for up to 28 passengers compared to the current 25, and will be EASA and FAA FAR 25 certified.

The agreement between the companies will cover joint development, manufacturing, commercialisation and customer support to cover the needs of the civilian, cargo and military light aircraft market segments for the next decade. Airbus Military sees the potential market in this segment estimated at 400-450 aircraft in the next ten years. A Final Assembly Line is to be set up in the PT DI facilities in Bandung.

The teaming agreement builds on the recent order for nine CN295s from the Indonesian Government and the related C295 cooperation packages between Airbus Military and PT DI. This saw the creation of a CN295 Delivery Centre, a light CN295 Final Assembly Line and the setting up of a Service Centre in Bandung.

Since October last year, both companies have already put in place joint working teams located in the PT DI facilities in Bandung, with Airbus Military having deployed on-site. These teams are working in industrial and commercial areas, focusing on generating new business for both companies and improving industrial capabilities, engineering processes, IT tools and know-how transfer, in order to transform PTDI into a leading aerospace company for light and medium aircraft in the Asia Pacific region.

Ignacio Alonso, senior vice president for commercial, strategy and industrial relations, Asia for Airbus Military, said: ‘This is further proof of our increased cooperation with Indonesia. We see a promising future for this very competitive NC212 in many countries worldwide. With the continued support of the Indonesian Government, PT DI and Airbus Military will be able to achieve many and great things together.’