Indonesia Plans Order of Pilatus PC-24: Specifications and Capabilities

1 week ago 13

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Swiss aircraft manufacturer, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd., has announced that Indonesia's Ministry of Defense, through PT E-System Solutions Indonesia, has signed a contract to purchase 12 PC-24 jets. These dozen jets will be used for transportation pilot training, air transportation missions, and connectivity within the Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) environment.

Pilatus Aircraft's Chief Executive Officer, Markus Bucher, stated that this purchase contract signifies a long-term relationship with the company to meet Indonesia's air fleet needs. "We appreciate the trust placed in Pilatus by the Indonesian Ministry of Defense," Markus said in the official statement on March 30, 2026.

Pilatus Aircraft is a Swiss aircraft manufacturer founded in 1939. They are known for producing high-quality turboprop and business jets, especially the PC-6, PC-12, and PC-24 series. These products are commonly used for transportation, cargo, intelligence, and military training purposes.

Although the company has officially announced the sale of PC-24 to Indonesia, the Ministry of Defense stated that it is still at the exploratory stage. Head of Information Bureau, Defense Ministry, Rico Ricardo Sirait, mentioned that they have not made a final decision yet. "There is no budget allocation yet. It's still under operational needs assessment," Rico told Tempo via text message on Monday, April 6, 2026.

Pilatus PC-24 Jet Specifications

Regardless of the certainty of this purchase, it's worth knowing the specifications of this Swiss jet aircraft. According to the company's official website, this type of aircraft has a maximum cruising speed of 440 KTAS (Knots True Airspeed), equivalent to 815 kilometers per hour.

The PC-24 jet can fly at a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet, a climb speed of 3,960 feet, and a stall speed of 83 KIAS, which is the minimum speed required for the aircraft to produce lift.

This aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 18,740 pounds and an empty weight of 14,660 pounds. The aircraft's length from head to tail reaches 55 feet 2 inches (almost 17 meters). It stands 17 feet, 4 inches (5.2 meters) tall.

This aircraft uses two crew control yokes, two sets of rudder pedals, including brake pedals, and adjustable crew seats. The aircraft is also equipped with two cockpit speakers. Williams International generates its power with the FJ44-4A QPM model, which has a normal takeoff thrust of 3,420 lbf per engine.