REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG - Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) hands six new Bell-412/EP helicopters on Friday to Indonesian Army in Rotary Wing Hangar, Bandung. The six helicopters, handed officially by Executive Director of IAe, Budi Santoso, to the Ministry of Defense, are among 16 helicopters ordered by the army through the contract ended in 2014.
"Ministry of Defense needs at least 33 units of Bell helicopters. We are working on 13 units, including those handed today," Santoso said on Friday, explaining that Bell-420/EP are among the best helicopters in both military and non military operations.
IAe is also working on other helicopters, such as CN-235 and N-212 for Navy. "Army is the biggest customer of our products. Besides Bell, they also use NBO and Super Pumma," he said.
Deputy Chief of Army, Moeldoko, said the cooperation with IAe was an effort to strengthen Indonesian weapons system. "Our main goal is to maintain our sovereignty," he said.
