OPINION
Choose KF-21 or KAAN?
So far I have admired the massive development of Turkish defense equipment, but in the context of fighter aircraft cooperation, the choice between the two fighter aircraft above poses a dilemma.
There are several things I consider:
1. From the budget side
We have already invested a lot of funds in this project, including:
-investment in R&D cost share contributions in South Korea.
-investment in Bandung (Indonesia) including infrastructure (hangar, tools) and personnel training to be sent to South Korea.
2. From the development side
The progress of the KF-21 is already far ahead. Where the current position has entered series production with a delivery plan next year. If we are serious and want to follow the agreed cost share, it is actually very profitable to get aerostructure production such as the right main wing, right Horizontal & vertical tailplane, pylon, and After Fuselage Part. This means that with this 20% it is already good, no need to be ambitious in asking for key technology, where we still do not have the capability to make non-key technology.
3. From the weaponry side
Until the end of last year, KAI and MBDA also succeeded in integrating the Meteor Missile on the KF-21. This missile will also be carried by the Rafale fighter jet. In addition, it is also planned to be able to carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X, two missiles that have so far completed the TNI AU inventory. This means that there is a commonality of weapons that will certainly simplify weapons logistics compared to if we acquired KAAN, which until now has only been integrated with missiles made in Turkey itself. This will be a slightly different story when the TNI AU actually upgrades the F-16 to the level equivalent to the Viper by collaborating with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), because the plan is to integrate the Gokdogan missile (and possibly including the Bozdogan missile). This means that there is a commonality of weapons from the upgraded F-16 with the KAAN fighter jet.
4. From the marketing side
KAI needs Indonesia as a production and marketing partner as well as a market for the KF-21. KAI has shown its intention to help support PTDI's facilities so that they can immediately produce KF-21 structural components. So far, PTDI has only made pylons for the production of the South Korean Air Force's KF-21 series.
According to the agreement, for every KF-21 sold by South Korea, there will be components made in Indonesia such as the right main wing, right Horizontal & vertical tailplane, pylon, and After Fuselage Part. (Until now, there is no information whether this workshare will definitely decrease along with the decline in Indonesia's cost share).
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Turkey's Concrete Steps
However, I see that Turkey has 1 interesting offer that South Korea has not been able to offer to Indonesia until now. Namely, cooperation in the manufacture of aircraft components by collaborating with the aircraft component industry in Indonesia which is part of INACOM (Indonesian Aircraft and Component Manufacturer Association).
Indonesia's involvement in the KAAN Project has not yet begun, but Turkish Aerospace has long since opened a branch in Indonesia through PT. Turkish Aerospace Indonesia. Amazingly, they actively collaborate with the aircraft component industry that is part of INACOM to make components for the Hurkus trainer aircraft.
The proof can be seen on June 13th at the Indo Defense exhibition, there was a symbolic handover of NC Part Manufacturing from 3 Indonesian companies that are members of INACOM: PT. Santoso Teknindo (STi), PT. Pudak Scientific, and PT. Yogya Presisi Tehnikatama Industri (YPTI).
In addition, a certificate of passing the quality test was handed over from PT. Turkish Aerospace Indonesia to Turkish Aerospace. Most likely the first shipment of components made by the Indonesian industry to Turkey will occur at the end of June.
Indeed, the components made are still relatively small, but the impact is extraordinary for the Indonesian aircraft component industry. As far as I have followed the development of INACOM, this association seems to be developing slowly. Jobs from the aircraft industry for the 3 industries above are also very limited, except for Pudak which has long collaborated with aircraft component vendors from within and outside the country.
So what STi and YPTI have achieved is an extraordinary achievement. For the first time, they have exported aircraft components abroad. With all the concrete steps taken by Türkiye above, it is not wrong if the government and local industry players are so enthusiastic about approaching Türkiye.
Then can South Korea provide a better offer? Let's just wait for the developments.
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OPINI
Pilih KF-21 atau KAAN?
Selama ini saya mengagumi perkembangan alutsista Turki yang sangat masif, namun dalam konteks kerjasama pesawat tempur, pilihan diantara kedua pesawat tempur diatas menimbulkan dilema.
Ada beberapa yang saya pertimbangkan:
1. Dari sisi anggaran
Kita sudah terlanjur menginvestasikan banyak dana ke proyek ini, meliputi:
-investasi iuran cost share R&D di Korea Selatan.
-investasi di Bandung (Indonesia) meliputi sarpras (hanggar, tools) dan diklat personel untuk dikirim ke Korea Selatan.
2. Dari sisi development
Progress KF-21 ini sudah berada jauh didepan. Dimana posisi saat ini sudah masuk produksi seri dengan rencana delivery tahun depan. Jika kita serius dan mau mengikuti cost share yang disepakati sebenarnya sangat menguntungkan mendapatkan produksi aerostructure seperti main wing kanan, Horizontal & vertical tailplane kanan, pylon, dan After Fuselage Part. Artinya dengan 20% ini sudah bagus, tidak usah muluk-muluk minta teknologi kunci, dimana membuat teknologi non kunci saja kita masih belum memiliki kapabilitas.
3. Dari sisi persenjataan
Hingga akhir tahun kemarin, KAI dan MBDA juga berhasil mengintegrasikan Rudal Meteor di KF-21. Ini rudal yang kelak juga akan dibawa oleh pesawat tempur Rafale. Selain itu direncanakan juga mampu membawa AIM-120 AMRAAM dan AIM-9X, dua rudal yang selama ini melengkapi inventori TNI AU. Artinya ada commonality persenjataan yang tentu akan menyederhanakan logistik persenjataan ketimbang jika kita mengakuisisi KAAN yang hingga saat ini integrasinya masih terbatas pada rudal-rudal buatan Turki sendiri. Hal ini akan sedikit berbeda cerita ketika TNI AU benar-benar jadi mengupgrade F-16 ke level setara Viper dengan menggandeng Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), karena rencananya ada integrasi rudal Gokdogan (dan mungkin termasuk rudal Bozdogan). Artinya ada commonality persenjataan F-16 hasil upgrade dengan pesawat temnpur KAAN.
4. Dari sisi Marketing
KAI butuh Indonesia buat partner produksi dan pemasaran sekaligus pasar KF-21. KAI sudah menunjukan itikad untuk membantu mendukung fasilitas PTDI agar bisa segera memproduksi komponen struktur KF-21. Sejauh ini baru pylon yang dibuat PTDI untuk produksi seri KF-21 milik AU Korea Selatan.
Sesuai perjanjian, setiap KF-21 yang dijual Korea Selatan, maka akan ada komponen buatan Indonesia seperti main wing kanan, Horizontal & vertical tailplane kanan, pylon, dan After Fuselage Part. (Hingga saat ini belum ada informasi apakah workshare ini akan pasti menyusut seiring dengan turunnya cost share Indonesia).
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Langkah Konkret Turki
Namun begitu, saya lihat Turki memiliki 1 tawaran menarik yang hingga detik ini belum bisa ditawarkan Korea Selatan ke Indonesia. Yakni kerjasama pembuatan komponen pesawat dengan menggandeng industri komponen pesawat terbang di Indonesia yang tergabung kedalam INACOM (Indonesian Aircraft and Component Manufacturer Association/ Asosiasi Industri Komponen Pesawat Terbang Indonesia).
Keterlibatan Indonesia di Proyek KAAN belum dimulai, namun Turkish Aerospace jauh-jauh hari sudah membuka cabang di Indonesia melalui PT. Turkish Aerospace Indonesia. Luar biasanya mereka aktif menggandeng industri komponen pesawat yang tergabung dalam INACOM untuk membuat komponen pesawat latih Hurkus.
Buktinya bisa dilihat pada tanggal 13 Juni kemarin dalam pameran Indo Defence, diadakan penyerahan simbolik NC Part Manufacturing dari 3 perusahaan Indonesia yang menjadi anggota INACOM: PT. Santoso Teknindo (STi), PT. Pudak Scientific, dan PT. Yogya Presisi Tehnikatama Industri (YPTI).
Selain itu dilakukan penyerahan sertifikat lolos uji kualitas dari PT. Turkish Aerospace Indonesia kepada Turkish Aerospace. Kemungkinan besar pengiriman perdana komponen buatan industri Indonesia ke Turki terjadi pada akhir bulan Juni ini.
Memang komponen yang dibuat ini masih tergolong kecil, namun dampaknya luar biasa bagi industri komponen pesawat indonesia. Sejauh saya mengikuti perkembangan INACOM, asosiasi ini terkesan lambat perkembangannya. Job dari industri pesawat untuk 3 industri diatas juga terbatas sekali, kecuali untuk Pudak yang sudah lama menjalin kerjasama dengan vendor komponen pesawat dari dalam dan luar negeri.
Dengan begitu apa yang diperoleh STi dan YPTI adalah capaian luar biasa. Untuk pertama kalinya melakukan ekspor komponen pesawat terbang ke mancanegara. Dengan segala langkah konkret yang dilakukan Turki diatas, maka tidak salah jika pemerintah maupun pelaku industri lokal begitu antusias merapat ke Turki.
Lalu apakah Korea Selatan bisa memberikan tawaran lebih baik? Kita tunggu saja perkembangannya.
#KF21 #KAAN #jetfighter #fighterjet #hurkus #turkishaerospace #inacom #combataircraft
Source: From yudi supri FB
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