Featured PT Dirgantara Indonesia reveals its first MALE UAV prototype

[Indos]

PT Dirgantara Indonesia has revealed its MALE UAV prototype for the first time to the public in its latest Instagram Post. The program has been reported in various mainstream Indonesian media since 2016, the time where the preliminary design is started. The program reached detail design phase in 2018 and is designed to have maximum endurance of 30 hours and can fly into altitude 30.000 feet.

MALE consortium consist of BPPT (Government research agency), PT Dirgantara Indonesia(PTDI), PT LEN Industry, LAPAN (Space agency), Indonesian Air Force, and Bandung Institute of Technology. BPPT is the consortium leader who have 80 % contribution on design and engineering. PTDI is responsible on some design work and production. BPPT and LAPAN are government research agency which have experience in designing UAV. PT LEN Industry is responsible in developing flight control and mission system.

According to the PT DI engineer involved in the program, the development will be done in 4 phase (Block) in which the first block (Block 0) is only mean to test its flying performance, second block (Block L) is plan to have indigenous mission system developed by PT LEN Industry, third block (Block D) will be installed with ISR (Intelligent, Surveilance, Reconnaisance) mission system. Fourth block (Block C-Combat) will have attack capability.

Expected Maiden Flight is the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021 according to latest interview with DI engineer involved in the program. First and second block still use fixed landing gear while third and fourth block will use retractable landing gear where landing gear can be inserted into the plane body.

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The post talks about Indonesian Research and Technology minister visiting PT DI to see development of N 219 and UAV program and discuss those program with PT DI Director.

 

[TsAr]

Are they planning to arm it and what weapons are we looking at.

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

PT Dirgantara Indonesia has revealed its MALE UAV prototype for the first time to the public in its latest Instagram Post. The program has been reported in various mainstream Indonesian media since 2016, the time where the preliminary design is started. The program reached detail design phase in 2018 and is designed to have maximum endurance of 30 hours and can fly into altitude 30.000 feet.

According to the PT DI engineer involved in the program, the development will be done in 4 phase (Block) in which the first block (Block 0) is only mean to test its flying performance, second block (Block L) is plan to have indigenous mission system developed by PT LEN Industry, third block (Block D) will be installed with ISR (Intelligent, Surveilance, Reconnaisance) mission system. Fourth block (Block C-Combat) will have attack capability.

Expected Maiden Flight is the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021 according to latest interview with DI engineer involved in the program. First and second block still use fixed landing gear while third and fourth block will use retractable landing gear where landing gear can be inserted into the plane body.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

The post talks about Indonesian Research and Technology minister visiting PT DI to see development of N 219 and UAV program and discuss those program with PT DI Director.

It would be nice if PTDI and PAC collaborated on a loyal wingman UAV and larger stealthy attack UAV.

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

Is the landing gear retractable or is it stationary? Cause they're is no way its supporting any heavy bombs or middles with those tiny legs

 

[Indos]

Is the landing gear retractable or is it stationary? Cause they're is no way its supporting any heavy bombs or middles with those tiny legs

This is the first prototype that is produced to only test its flying performance thats why the landing gear is still a stationary one. Next development is to use retractable landing gear where the landing gear can be inserted into the body during flying. As I said earlier in this thread that the development consist of 4 phase (block) with the final phase have both ISR and attack capability.

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

This is the first prototype that is produced to only test its flying performance thats why the landing gear is still a stationary one. Next development is to use retractable landing gear where the landing gear can be inserted into the body during flying. As I said earlier in this thread that the development consist of 4 phase (block) with the final phase have both ISR and attack capability.

Wonderful, I hope Kamra can take part in this.

 

[HRK]

Wonderful, I hope Kamra can take part in this.

our own MALE category UAV seems delayed as its prototype was suppose to be revealed and fly before year end this year ....

 

[Indos]

Are they planning to arm it and what weapons are we looking at.

Yup, final phase (block C-Combat) will be armed according to DI engineer involved on the program. They dont give any information on specific weapon that will armed the drone. I think because they are now focusing on first phase of the development first. According to my opinion, UMTAS missile from Turkey is a strong candidate, particularly by seeing our past history getting arm embargo from US.

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

our own MALE category UAV seems delayed as its prototype was suppose to be revealed and fly before year end this year ....

Doesn't everything seem to be delayed bu the airforce. It all changed last year during the February skirmish. I think they are talking that education and applying it into the new weapons.....or I sure hope so atleast.

 

[Indos]

It would be nice if PTDI and PAC collaborated on a loyal wingman UAV and larger stealthy attack UAV.

It is possible IMO since PTDI is now pursuing drone development and has specific UAV division. There is possibility that in the future PTDI will have another UAV program that is more advance and expensive like stealth attack UAV.

But I think that project can only happen after 2030 due to several factors, particularly economic condition and STEALTH technology. Indonesia should wait until KFX block 2 to be made before making any STEALTH UAV and it is with the assumption that Indonesia is still on KFX/IFX program as renegotiation is still going on.

Collaborating with another Muslim country like Pakistan, Turkey, Iran, etc IMO is very possible and become our nature, similar like how likely Western European make a joint defense project with each other nowadays. Indonesia and Turkey has started it with its medium tank project. I also believe that Turkey missile will arm this drone.

 

[HRK]

Doesn't everything seem to be delayed bu the airforce. It all changed last year during the February skirmish. I think they are talking that education and applying it into the new weapons.....or I sure hope so atleast.

we cant say for sure but as per new photo release for latest visit of Army Chief to PAC, some structure was under manufacturing which seems to have dimension similar to MALE UAV

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

we cant say for sure but as per new photo release for latest visit of Army Chief to PAC, some structure was under manufacturing which seems to have dimension similar to MALE UAV

hmmm... I think MALE UAVs in general are going to look similar, most are borne from the Predator design attributes.

 

[Menthol]

I wonder about the performance in the real war scenario?

Drone is the future warfare, it's very good and smart to able to build it on our own.

 

[Indos]

Maiden flight have possibility to be done earlier as BPPT (Government Research Agency) said that previous interview with PTDI engineer that is done by an online publication is not giving a right picture about the drone latest condition. BPPT is happen to be a consortium leader of Indonesian MALE program. Here is my edit after BPPT official anouncement about the program.

MALE consortium consist of BPPT (Government research agency), PT Dirgantara Indonesia(PTDI), PT LEN Industry, LAPAN (Space agency), Indonesian Air Force, and Bandung Institute of Technology. BPPT is the consortium leader who have 80 % contribution on design and engineering. PTDI is responsible on some design work and production. BPPT and LAPAN are government research agency which have experience in designing UAV. PT LEN Industry is responsible in developing flight control and mission system.

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

we cant say for sure but as per new photo release for latest visit of Army Chief to PAC, some structure was under manufacturing which seems to have dimension similar to MALE UAV

Drones are very important and it's a good thing we realized this when the americans used them in Afghanistan, Yemen and other countries.