Indonesian defense ministry received the delivery of CN295 Airbus Military transport aircraft 0410121.

"This is the latest plane delivered from the PTDI. This plane would replace the operation of Fokker 27 planes that has been decommissioned permanently," Azman Yunus, Indonesian Air Forces spokesperson said on the sidelines of the plane's handover ceremony in Halim Perdanakusumah air force base here.

The ageing Fokker 27 planes operated by the Air Forces is considered as no longer reliable following frequent crashes involving Fokker 27s that killed tens of Indonesian troops in the last decade.

Indonesian defense ministry ordered nine CN295 turbo propeller planes which were jointly produced by PTDI and its Spanish partner, Airbus Military. PTDI was assigned to build two for the military, while the remaining seven will be produced by the Airbus Military.

The CN295 plane is designed as tactical troops and relief aid transporter that has a total payload of 9 tons, or 71 troops. The plane is fitted with night vision goggle and is capable of taking off and landing on airstrips with short runways.

"This plane fits to carry out both military and civil tasks. It is capable to transport relief aids to disaster areas as soon as possible, transport troops and logistics in combat task," he said.

Delivery of the remaining CN295 planes ordered by the Indonesian defense ministry is expected to last until 2014.

Indonesia is intensifying efforts to improve its military might by establishing joint production cooperation with military equipment producers in several countries and purchase new military equipment such as tanks and fighter jets. Indonesia has allocated some 150 trillion rupiah (about 15.6 billion U.S. dollars) to finance its military rejuvenation program by 2015.