Spanish company Airbus Military and PT Dirgantara Indonesia have signed a collaborative pact that will help revitalize Indonesia's aerospace industry. In the first phase of the program, lasting about 18 months, Airbus Military will support PTDI in optimizing its industrial processes and global efficiency. The agreement builds on the longstanding manufacturing relationship between Airbus Military and its Spanish predecessor Casa, and PTDI and its Indonesian predecessors. PTDI is a supplier to Airbus Military on the C212 and CN235 light/medium transport and surveillance aircraft, as well as to Eurocopter and Airbus. Airbus Military said it intends to increase the number of manufacturing it places with PTDI, and to provide industrial activity of increasingly higher value in the supply chain. "Three decades ago Casa joined with Nurtanio to launch a new aircraft, the CN235, which has succeeded in becoming the market leader in its category worldwide," said Mustafa Abubakar, Indonesia's minister for state-owned enterprises. "This agreement with Airbus Military will enable us to undertake structural reforms to help turn-around and grow the aerospace sector. "The possibility of new developments and the subsequent opening of new markets, together with our partners in Airbus Military, will allow us to create a generation of highly trained engineers, managers and workers, who will not only serve the aerospace industry but will revolutionize other sectors of the economy of our country."