Indonesia's PTDI submits modification clearance for CN-235 to Malaysia

The RMAF's CN-235 transport aircraft, with tail number 07, was written off after it crashed into the sea in February 2016. (Marhalim Abas)

PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) handed over the supplemental type certificate (STC) – required for the conversion of CN-235 transport aircraft to maritime patrol aircraft – to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), during the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2022 exhibition in Kuala Lumpur.

PTDI said it has completed the conversion of one out of three CN-235 aircraft that need to be upgraded.

The company added that it intends to complete the conversion and delivery of the other two aircraft in April and May 2022.

STC is a type certificate issued when an applicant has received the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) approval to modify an aeronautical product from its original design. According to PTDI, co-operation between the Indonesian Defence Airworthiness Authority (IDAA), under the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, and the Malaysian Ministry of Defence's Directorate General Technical Airworthiness (DGTA) has helped in obtaining the STC for the RMAF's CN-235 aircraft.

The RMAF has been using CN-235 aircraft for more than two decades and has seven of these in service.