Ministry Of Defense Hands Over 8 Airbus H225M Helicopters To The Indonesian Air Force Built At PT DI Bandung

The handover ceremony of 8 Airbus H225M helicopters from the Ministry of Defense to the Indonesian Air Force at Atang Sendjaja Air Base, Bogor, Friday (1/12/2023). ANTARA/Genta Tenri Mawangi.

A total of eight Airbus H225M helicopters were handed over by the Ministry of Defense (Kemenhan) to the Indonesian Air Force (AU) assembled by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) in Bandung. The handover was carried out at Atang Sendjaja Air Base, Bogor, West Java (West Java), Friday 1 December.

PT DI also handles the overall maintenance and repair (MRO) of eight Indonesian Air Force H225M helicopters.

"MRO H225M and all the helicopters issued (Airbus, red) we have the name AMC, authorization maintenance center. That is given so that PT DI is authorized (allowed) for maintenance," said the President Director of PT DI, Gita Amperiawan at Atang Sendjaja Air Base, Bogor, Friday, December 1.

He said PT DI not only served the MRO for helicopters in Indonesia, but also received MRO requests from abroad.

Thus, helicopters from countries in the region, for example Southeast Asia, can also have MRO helicopters at PT DI, Bandung.

Therefore, PT DI is currently starting to introduce and offer the facility to Timor Leste.

"Now (clien) Indonesia, yesterday we bidding, try to introduce it to Timor Leste," said Gita.

Meanwhile, regarding the production of eight H225M units, which are currently officially strengthening the 8 Wing 4 Air Squadron Atang Sendjaja Air Base, Gita explained that PT DI assembled and completed the additional components of eight H225M units ordered by the Indonesian government.

The production stage is also a form of technology transfer for the domestic defense industry in the procurement of the H225M Airbus.

"For helicopters, we call the helicopter complement center. It can be for assembly plus something customized, something requirement (additional component messages) from the Indonesian Air Force we can complete, which is not in the original Airbus helicopter," said Gita.

He said the PT DI helicopter complement center had also completed the Bell 412 helicopter armament. "The case in the old Bell 412, when we wanted to be armed, we also carried out a Weaponized integration here," he said.

He conveyed that PT DI's ability to assemble and complete helicopter components, then MRO, could be a way to increase the level of domestic components (TKDN/local content) for the procurement of foreign-made helicopters, such as Airbus H225M.

Related to this, Gita is optimistic that PT DI's ability will continue to improve in the future considering that PT DI is currently part of the global supply chain several components of helicopters and Airbus aircraft.

"We are now included in the global supplier Airbus,tail boom, tail, fuselage, that (PT DI) has been sent to them (Airbus), for them an assembly where we already have one at PT DI Aerostructure," said the President Director of PT DI, who is also a high-ranking two-star officer of the Indonesian Air Force.

Furthermore, Gita explained that PT DI also has an ICA (industrial cooperation agreement) and CISA (Commercial industrial and service agreement) which is the basis for PT DI for aircraft / helicopter manufacturing cooperation as well as other services.

"Not only in manufacturing, but also in service. We already have, only now how do we fill out the existing agreement to provide added value," he said.