Indonesia, Turkey Team up to Develop Military Drones
Aircraft company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) is collaborating with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to produce unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are capable of flying at a maximum height of 40,000 feet.
“TAI has lengthy experience in building high-altitude UAVs. So we will collaborate with them in the project,” said PTDI president director Elfien Goentoro in Bandung on Monday.
TAI has developed UAVs or drones that are used by the Turkish Military and operated at a height of 20,000 feet. They are capable of being equipped with night vision and weapons systems.
Elfien said PTDI was currently developing a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV.
PTDI production director Arie Wibowo added that the government wanted to ensure that collaboration between PTDI and TAI in producing lightweight UAVs take place to reduce dependency on manufacturers in Western countries.
“We need an experienced firm like TAI, a firm from a Muslim country with an advanced technology in the aviation industry,” said Arie, adding that several other firms were only interested in direct selling, not technology transfer.
The UAV project is projected to be completed within one to three years, Arie said, adding that PTDI and TAI also planned to develop CN-235 and N219 planes, PTDI’s two flagship products.
Meanwhile, TAI CEO and president Temel Kotil expressed hope that the collaboration would result in the production of high-quality UAVs, saying that PTDI had a reputation as a major player in the Asian aerospace industry.
(The Jakarta Post)