Airbus Pushes A400M and Eurofighters in Indonesia

A400M airlifter (wallpaper) 

A team from Airbus Defence and Space, a unit of the Airbus Group, is in town this week to push for the sales of its products, including its signature A400M airlifter and the Eurofighter Typhoon heavy fighter, as Indonesia is looking to boost its weapons systems and diversify its sources.

Fernando Alonso, the head of the military aircraft division at Airbus Defence and Space, is meeting with top ministers, including Coordinating Political, Legal and Human Affairs Minister Wiranto, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan and State Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno. He will also make a visit to PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) in Bandung, West Java, the Indonesian state-owned aircraft maker that has a long history of collaboration with Spain’s CASA, which was absorbed by the Airbus Group in 2000.

Alonso said the Airbus unit he heads is already in the process of delivering the twin-turboprop tactical military transport C295 aircraft to Indonesia, which are partly built in Bandung.

Eurofighter Typhoon (BAE Systems)

Airbus is also looking at boosting sales of its other products in Indonesia, which is on a major spending spree to modernize its military hardware to reach what it calls a “Minimum Essential Force” by 2024.

The A400M, considered the most advanced airlifter, would be the most ideal short-range transportation aircraft for Indonesia, the largest archipelagic country in the world. Having made its debut in 2003, several European countries are already using the plane. In Asia, Malaysia has taken delivery of three units of the aircraft.

Airbus Defence and Space will be prepared to discuss the possibility of offsetting parts of the production of A400M with Indonesia since it has a long history of collaboration with PT DI, Alonso said.

  ★ The Jakarta Post