02 March 2022
Update: Indonesian Army receives last Bell 412 EPI helicopter
by Alessandra Giovanzanti
On 24 February 2022 the ninth and last Bell 412 EPI helicopter was delivered to the Indonesian Army. (PTDI)
State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has delivered the last Bell 412EPI multirole medium helicopters on order for the Indonesian Army (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD)).
The company announced on 24 February that the ninth and last Bell 412EPI conducted its ferry flight on the same day as US Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y Kim visited PTDI's facilities in Bandung, West Java, where the helicopters were assembled and some of their components are manufactured.
The nine helicopters, which were procured under a December 2018 contract worth USD183 million, are operated by the 11th Squadron at Ahmad Yani Air Base in Semarang and the 21st Squadron at Pondok Cabe in South Tangerang, PTDI said. The first was delivered in December 2020.
The 412EPIs were manufactured in the United States by Bell, a subsidiary of Textron, and then handed over to PTDI for customisation work before final delivery to the TNI-AD. PTDI said in the past that it would arm each of the helicopters with “sophisticated weaponry”, including a Gatling-type gun from US-based company Dillon Aero. The helicopters can be used for transport, assault, and search-and-rescue roles.
PTDI is also responsible for maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of these helicopters, according to an industrial and commercial agreement signed with Bell in 2012.
In 2016 Bell and PTDI signed an extension to the original industrial and commercial agreement, enabling the two companies to expand their support and services in Indonesia to Bell helicopter operators.
Bell and PTDI have been working together to support the Indonesian Armed Forces since 1982.
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State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has delivered the last Bell 412EPI ...
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