Indonesian Aerospace (IAe) plans to deliver three additional CN-235s and its first CN-235 simulator in the first half of this year, but prospects for badly needed new orders look grim as several Asian operators have delayed potential procurements.
IAe and EADSCasa, both of which manufacture the CN-235, are competing for potential orders in Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Libya, Pakistan, South Korea and Thailand. For IAe the competitions are critical because its CN-235 order backlog is down to only six aircraft and there is a gap of over one year between the third and fourth delivery. The company has already stopped manufacturing the smaller C-212 - although it has been awarded a new contract to supply EADSCasa with C-212-400 subassemblies - and acknowledges no CN-235 orders are imminent.
In Bangladesh, IAe says it was in detailed negotiations last August for two maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), but a contract could not be forged because the CN-235 came in over budget. Bangladesh is now expected to reduce its requirement to a C-212-sized aircraft. Indonesia is the launch customer for IAe's MPA variant, with an order for three aircraft. However, only the first of these has been funded. The aircraft is now about 50% complete and set for delivery in late 2006.
Both IAe and EADSCasa are in talks with Libya and South Korea but contracts are not expected until at least 2007. Libya has a potential requirement for eight transports while South Korea, which already operates 12 Spanish-built and eight Indonesian-built CN-235s, is looking for 10-20 additional aircraft. Thailand has a more near-term requirement, but requires only one additional CN-235 or C-212 rainmaker. Brunei is also expected to finally award a contract this year to meet a long-standing requirement for three or four small MPAs.
IAe also hopes to win a follow-on contract with Pakistan, but is now focused on negotiating late delivery penalties for its first batch of aircraft. Three were delivered last year and the last on contract will be delivered next month. Two VIP CN-235s will also be delivered in March and May this year to Malaysia, which already operates six transport versions. Malaysia will also receive a $12 million simulator this month from IAe to support its CN-235 fleet.
BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
