A cut-out model of the N219 on display at Singapore Airshow 2020. (Jane’s/Ridzwan Rahmat)
State-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has been approached by the country’s navy to develop a militarised version of the N219 Nurtanio twin-turboprop aircraft, the company confirmed with Jane’s at Singapore Airshow 2020.
The indigenously developed aircraft, which derives its design from the Airbus Military C212 Aviocar, made its maiden flight in August 2017 from the Husein Sastranegara International Airport in Bandung, Indonesia.
“The Indonesian Armed Forces have approached us to develop a military-specifications variant of the aircraft, including for maritime patrol operations,” said Igan Satyawati, vice-president of business development and marketing at PTDI.
“To meet their requirements, we will study how the aircraft can be structurally reinforced and balanced out, such that it can be mounted with sensors and other equipment related to operations such as maritime patrol,” she added.
“However, these are future plans, and at this point of time, our team is focused on attaining certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Indonesia for the aircraft,” she emphasised. The certification is expected to complete in 2020.
The N219 has an overall length of 16.7 m, a height of 6.2 m, and a wingspan of 19.5 m. The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 7,030 kg (15,498 lb) and can deliver a maximum payload of 2,313 kg.
It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42 turboprop engines, with maximum and economic cruising speeds of 389 km/h and 315 km/h respectively. When carrying the maximum payload of about 19 passengers, it has a range of approximately 900 km.
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