Indonesia is to acquire 11 Airbus Helicopters AS565 Panther rotorcraft equipped for the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission.
The helicopters will be delivered in a green condition to PT Dirgintara Indonesia, which will then install the mission systems before the aircraft are delivered to the nation's navy, says the airframer. Deliveries are scheduled for the next three years.
In May 2014, PTDI vice-president of marketing and sales Arie Wibowo confirmed to Flightglobal that Indonesia was discussing the potential acquisition of up to 16 AS565s.
In Indonesian service the mission package will include a dipping active sonar array as well as torpedoes. The aircraft will be able to operate from both warships and land bases.
French navy
Wibowo told Flightglobal that the large amount of local content aboard the AS565 helped it defeat the AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 for the requirement.
“The Panther now becomes one of the world’s most capable light/medium anti-submarine warfare platforms, with an advanced ASW suite and the capability to operate from corvettes or small frigates,” says Airbus Helicopters executive Philippe Monteux.
“This fully-capable, modern solution meets the naval requirements of Indonesia and other countries in the region, benefiting from our partnership with PT Dirgantara Indonesia and the industry’s best system suppliers.”
The acquisition will greatly enhance the capabilities of the Indonesian navy to counter regional submarine threats. The type is likely to be particularly effective in maritime chokepoints, such as the Straits of Malacca and Sunda Strait, that border on Indonesia.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
