Budi Santoso, CEO Dirgantara Indonesia
The President can be the company's salesman
Aircraft manufacturer Dirgantara Indonesia has made known its disappointment at the government's plan to purchase an Agusta Westland AW101 helicopter, manufactured by British company Westland Helicopters jointly with Agusta from Italy. Ordered by the Indonesian Air Force, the plan became a hot topic public debate when it was reported that it was to become President Joko Widodo's mode of transportation when he goes on his blusukan, or unscheduled inspection trips, around the country.
Dirgantara regards the purchase to go against Law No. 16/2012 on the defense industry. The problem is that "something like that (the process) must involve the domestic industry," explained Dirgantara CEO Budi Santoso. Budi contends that his company is experienced in manufacturing Puma and Super Puma aircrafts. He feels the government would do better to order EC725 or Cougar aircrafts because they would be part of the Super Puma's development process, which is part of Dirgantara's program.
December 8, 2015
Aircraft manufacturer Dirgantara Indonesia has made known its disappointment at the government's plan to purchase an Agusta Westland AW101 helicopter, manufactured by British company Westland Helicopters jointly with Agusta from Italy. Ordered by the Indonesian Air Force, the plan became a hot topic public debate when it was reported that it was to become President Joko Widodo's mode of transportation when he goes on his blusukan, or unscheduled in
...