Indonesia partners with Greek company Scytalys on new N219 MSA maritime patrol aircraft
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PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Scytalys have signed a strategic framework agreement to develop a Maritime Surveillance Aircraft variant of the N219 for the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency, with an initial request for four aircraft.
PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Scytalys signed a framework agreement on November 21, 2025, to develop a maritime surveillance version of the N219 for the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), setting PTDI as the main contractor and Scytalys as the mission system integrator, and aligning the program with Indonesia’s planning submission for an initial four aircraft.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The N219 Nurtanio is a twin-engine, 19-seat, light short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft developed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia to operate from short and semi-prepared airstrips across remote areas. (Picture source: Scytalys)
This strategic framework agreement between the Greek company Scytalys and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) includes the development of a Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) variant of the N219 utility aircraft for the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency, also known as Bakamla. The agreement was signed by PTDI President and CEO Gita Amperiawan and Scytalys CEO George Menexis in the presence of the Ambassador of Indonesia to Greece, the Chief of Bakamla, and the President of Scytalys. It formalizes cooperation with PTDI as the main contractor responsible for aircraft configuration and Scytalys for installing sensors, communications, a data link network, and the MIMS Airborne Tactical Mission System. Bakamla has submitted a request to Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning for the initial procurement of four N219 MSA aircraft with training, spare parts, and after-sales support. The program has a planned development duration of one year and is intended to enter into contract at the end of 2026. It also marks the first dedicated maritime surveillance variant of the N219 for Indonesian requirements.
The agreement establishes PTDI as the main contractor for the N219 MSA development program, while Scytalys will integrate the MIMS Airborne Tactical Mission System and associated sensors, communications equipment, and data link networks on the aircraft. The MIMS Airborne system is a modular and scalable Command and Control suite that compiles the Common Operational Picture, supports situational awareness, and interfaces with radar, electro-optical and infrared systems, electronic warfare systems, avionics, navigation tools, and data links. It has been integrated on the modernized P-3HN Orion aircraft of the Hellenic Navy and is also being installed on CN-235-220 aircraft intended for the Philippine Navy, following an agreement at ADAS 2024. The system is designed to support missions such as maritime surveillance, policing, search and rescue, anti-smuggling control, and anti-submarine warfare. The MIMS Airborne suite also supports ground mission planning, post-flight analysis, and debriefing. The framework agreement reflects continued cooperation between Greece and Indonesia on airborne maritime surveillance capabilities.
The N219 Nurtanio is a twin-engine, 19-seat, light short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft developed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia to operate from short and semi-prepared airstrips across remote areas. Its development began in 2003 to follow the NC212, with early funding estimates between $60 million and $80 million, including a 2006 Qatar-Indonesia Joint Investment Fund proposal split 70 percent to Qatar and 30 percent to Indonesia. Price estimates evolved from around $4 million per unit in 2011 to about $5 million in 2014 as development plans shifted. Airbus Defence and Space agreed in 2016 to provide certification support after earlier cooperation on the N250 and CN235 programs. The prototype was introduced publicly in November 2015, began testing afterward, and flew for the first time on August 16, 2017, following a series of high-speed taxi tests. Indonesia issued a type certificate on December 18, 2020, enabling progress toward serial production. PTDI announced in 2024 that the N219 had entered serial production, with the first production aircraft planned as an amphibious type for the Indonesian Army.
The N219 features an all-metal, high-wing structure built to CASR and FAR 23 standards with a fixed tricycle landing gear and a flexible door configuration supporting passenger, cargo, and multi-mission operations. The cabin measures approximately 6.50 meters by 1.82 meters by 1.70 meters, which PTDI describes as large for its class, and the aircraft is powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-42 turboprop engines producing 850 shp each, with four-bladed Hartzell propellers. This aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 210 knots, an economical cruise speed of around 170 to 190 knots depending on configuration, a stall speed of 59 knots, and a ferry range of approximately 828 nautical miles. The range with 19 passengers is about 480 nautical miles, and takeoff and landing distances are around 435 to 455 meters and 509 meters under standard conditions. Maximum takeoff weight is 7,030 kilograms with a maximum payload of 2,313 kilograms, an operating altitude of 10,000 feet, and a ceiling altitude of 24,000 feet. The aircraft is designed for cargo transport, troop transport, medical evacuation, patrol, search and rescue, and can be reconfigured quickly. PTDI indicates around 60 percent domestic material production, with local suppliers producing landing gear parts, rubber components, and tooling.
Orders and procurement for the N219 include memoranda signed in 2015 with Nusantara Buana Air, Aviastar Mandiri, and Trigana Air Service for combinations of firm orders and options. Additional interest has come from Lion Air, Thailand, Myanmar, China, Mexico, and several domestic Indonesian provincial governments. By October 2018, the N219 had accumulated around 120 orders, including a memorandum from Avistar for 20 aircraft. On November 3, 2022, PT Karya Logistik Indotama ordered 11 N219s, valued at $80.5 million, with deliveries planned 28 months after the contract entered into force. In November 2023, the Ministry of Defense of Indonesia ordered six N219 aircraft, including one amphibious variant for the Indonesian Army, under a contract reported at $68 million, with deliveries expected in 2027. On September 3, 2024, Setdco Group ordered five N219 aircraft for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a $66.2 million arrangement. During Indo Defence 2024, several Indonesian provincial governments signed MoUs for the N219 Amphibian variant.
The N219 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) variant is expected to incorporate a surveillance radar with a detection range of up to 160 nautical miles and an electro-optical and infrared sensor with a detection range of approximately 20 kilometers. It is intended to operate with an endurance of more than five hours and an operational radius of around 200 nautical miles for maritime patrol tasks. Integration of the MIMS Airborne system will allow the aircraft to support Exclusive Economic Zone monitoring, search and rescue, drug trafficking countermeasures, pollution detection, illegal immigration monitoring, and anti-smuggling control. Additional supported roles include anti-surface warfare through surface picture compilation, tactical plan execution, communications relay, and third-party targeting, and anti-submarine warfare, including ASW tactics, multi-sensor association, submarine detection, long-range force protection, and screening of high-value units. The system supports ground-based mission tools and can interface with weapons via a digital stores management system. These capabilities will align the N219 MSA with requirements identified by Bakamla in its October 2025 submission to Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning.
Scytalys is a Greek defense software development and integration company founded in 1993 and employing around 110 personnel, primarily engineers, with offices in Greece, the United States, and Singapore, supporting customers in 14 countries. Its portfolio includes Tactical Data Links, Mission and Tactical Command and Control systems, C4I systems, and training, testing, simulation, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions. The company is part of EFA Group and has participated in multiple programs supporting the Hellenic Armed Forces while expanding internationally, including activities in the Philippines and Indonesia. Product lines include MIMS C2 for airborne, naval, land, and armored platforms, as well as universal and national data link systems. Scytalys participated in Indo Defence 2025 and DSEI UK 2025 and publicly highlights its involvement in interoperability and mission systems development.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Scytalys have signed a strategic framework agreement to develop a Maritime Surveillance Aircraft variant of the N219 for the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency, with an initial request for four aircraft.
PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Scytalys signed a framework agreement on November 21, 2025, to develop a maritime surveillance version of the N219 for the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla), setting PTDI as the main contractor and Scytalys as the mission system integrator, and aligning the program with Indonesia’s planning submission for an initial four aircraft.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The N219 Nurtanio is a twin-engine, 19-seat, light short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft developed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia to operate from short and semi-prepared airstrips across remote areas. (Picture source: Scytalys)
This strategic framework agreement between the Greek company Scytalys and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) includes the development of a Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) variant of the N219 utility aircraft for the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency, also known as Bakamla. The agreement was signed by PTDI President and CEO Gita Amperiawan and Scytalys CEO George Menexis in the presence of the Ambassador of Indonesia to Greece, the Chief of Bakamla, and the President of Scytalys. It formalizes cooperation with PTDI as the main contractor responsible for aircraft configuration and Scytalys for installing sensors, communications, a data link network, and the MIMS Airborne Tactical Mission System. Bakamla has submitted a request to Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning for the initial procurement of four N219 MSA aircraft with training, spare parts, and after-sales support. The program has a planned development duration of one year and is intended to enter into contract at the end of 2026. It also marks the first dedicated maritime surveillance variant of the N219 for Indonesian requirements.
The agreement establishes PTDI as the main contractor for the N219 MSA development program, while Scytalys will integrate the MIMS Airborne Tactical Mission System and associated sensors, communications equipment, and data link networks on the aircraft. The MIMS Airborne system is a modular and scalable Command and Control suite that compiles the Common Operational Picture, supports situational awareness, and interfaces with radar, electro-optical and infrared systems, electronic warfare systems, avionics, navigation tools, and data links. It has been integrated on the modernized P-3HN Orion aircraft of the Hellenic Navy and is also being installed on CN-235-220 aircraft intended for the Philippine Navy, following an agreement at ADAS 2024. The system is designed to support missions such as maritime surveillance, policing, search and rescue, anti-smuggling control, and anti-submarine warfare. The MIMS Airborne suite also supports ground mission planning, post-flight analysis, and debriefing. The framework agreement reflects continued cooperation between Greece and Indonesia on airborne maritime surveillance capabilities.
The N219 Nurtanio is a twin-engine, 19-seat, light short takeoff and landing (STOL) utility aircraft developed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia to operate from short and semi-prepared airstrips across remote areas. Its development began in 2003 to follow the NC212, with early funding estimates between $60 million and $80 million, including a 2006 Qatar-Indonesia Joint Investment Fund proposal split 70 percent to Qatar and 30 percent to Indonesia. Price estimates evolved from around $4 million per unit in 2011 to about $5 million in 2014 as development plans shifted. Airbus Defence and Space agreed in 2016 to provide certification support after earlier cooperation on the N250 and CN235 programs. The prototype was introduced publicly in November 2015, began testing afterward, and flew for the first time on August 16, 2017, following a series of high-speed taxi tests. Indonesia issued a type certificate on December 18, 2020, enabling progress toward serial production. PTDI announced in 2024 that the N219 had entered serial production, with the first production aircraft planned as an amphibious type for the Indonesian Army.
The N219 features an all-metal, high-wing structure built to CASR and FAR 23 standards with a fixed tricycle landing gear and a flexible door configuration supporting passenger, cargo, and multi-mission operations. The cabin measures approximately 6.50 meters by 1.82 meters by 1.70 meters, which PTDI describes as large for its class, and the aircraft is powered by two Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-42 turboprop engines producing 850 shp each, with four-bladed Hartzell propellers. This aircraft has a maximum cruise speed of 210 knots, an economical cruise speed of around 170 to 190 knots depending on configuration, a stall speed of 59 knots, and a ferry range of approximately 828 nautical miles. The range with 19 passengers is about 480 nautical miles, and takeoff and landing distances are around 435 to 455 meters and 509 meters under standard conditions. Maximum takeoff weight is 7,030 kilograms with a maximum payload of 2,313 kilograms, an operating altitude of 10,000 feet, and a ceiling altitude of 24,000 feet. The aircraft is designed for cargo transport, troop transport, medical evacuation, patrol, search and rescue, and can be reconfigured quickly. PTDI indicates around 60 percent domestic material production, with local suppliers producing landing gear parts, rubber components, and tooling.
Orders and procurement for the N219 include memoranda signed in 2015 with Nusantara Buana Air, Aviastar Mandiri, and Trigana Air Service for combinations of firm orders and options. Additional interest has come from Lion Air, Thailand, Myanmar, China, Mexico, and several domestic Indonesian provincial governments. By October 2018, the N219 had accumulated around 120 orders, including a memorandum from Avistar for 20 aircraft. On November 3, 2022, PT Karya Logistik Indotama ordered 11 N219s, valued at $80.5 million, with deliveries planned 28 months after the contract entered into force. In November 2023, the Ministry of Defense of Indonesia ordered six N219 aircraft, including one amphibious variant for the Indonesian Army, under a contract reported at $68 million, with deliveries expected in 2027. On September 3, 2024, Setdco Group ordered five N219 aircraft for the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a $66.2 million arrangement. During Indo Defence 2024, several Indonesian provincial governments signed MoUs for the N219 Amphibian variant.
The N219 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) variant is expected to incorporate a surveillance radar with a detection range of up to 160 nautical miles and an electro-optical and infrared sensor with a detection range of approximately 20 kilometers. It is intended to operate with an endurance of more than five hours and an operational radius of around 200 nautical miles for maritime patrol tasks. Integration of the MIMS Airborne system will allow the aircraft to support Exclusive Economic Zone monitoring, search and rescue, drug trafficking countermeasures, pollution detection, illegal immigration monitoring, and anti-smuggling control. Additional supported roles include anti-surface warfare through surface picture compilation, tactical plan execution, communications relay, and third-party targeting, and anti-submarine warfare, including ASW tactics, multi-sensor association, submarine detection, long-range force protection, and screening of high-value units. The system supports ground-based mission tools and can interface with weapons via a digital stores management system. These capabilities will align the N219 MSA with requirements identified by Bakamla in its October 2025 submission to Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning.
Scytalys is a Greek defense software development and integration company founded in 1993 and employing around 110 personnel, primarily engineers, with offices in Greece, the United States, and Singapore, supporting customers in 14 countries. Its portfolio includes Tactical Data Links, Mission and Tactical Command and Control systems, C4I systems, and training, testing, simulation, surveillance, and reconnaissance solutions. The company is part of EFA Group and has participated in multiple programs supporting the Hellenic Armed Forces while expanding internationally, including activities in the Philippines and Indonesia. Product lines include MIMS C2 for airborne, naval, land, and armored platforms, as well as universal and national data link systems. Scytalys participated in Indo Defence 2025 and DSEI UK 2025 and publicly highlights its involvement in interoperability and mission systems development.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
