Navy Launches Two New Vessels, Needs Another 128

Markus Junianto Sihaloho, The Jakarta Globe, January 8, 2009

 

The Indonesian Navy has launched two new, locally made patrol vessels as part of ongoing attempts to bolster and upgrade its aging fleet.

 

Navy spokesman First Adm. Iskandar Sitompul said on Thursday that the vessels, code-named KRI Krait-827 and KRI Tarihu-829, would be operated by the Western Fleet Command, based in Jakarta.

 

The ships, measuring 40 meters in length and 7.3 meters wide, were each equipped with a radar system, a twin-barreled cannon and two 12.7 mm machine guns, he said. Each had a maximum speed of 25 knots per hour.

 

“The hulls are made from special reinforced fiberglass and aluminum,” Iskandar said. “Because they are not made from steel they are faster. It also costs us less for maintenance.”

 

The naval shipyard had previously assembled nine warships and was planning to produce another two warships, Iskandar said without disclosing details of the plan.

 

Including the latest two vessels, the Navy has a total of 146 warships.

 

But Iskander said the Navy still required another 128 ships.

 

“According to our strategic plan for securing Indonesia waters, by 2024 we must have 274 warships with strike and patrol capabilities and supporting forces,” he said.

 

Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, the secretary general for the Defense Ministry, last week announced that the ministry had decided to postpone the purchase of two Russian-made submarines that it had intended to purchase as part of its 2004-09 strategic plan.

 

Sjafrie said the purchase would instead be incorporated into the 2009-14 plan.

 

However, Iskandar said the Navy expected the government to finalize the purchase and sign the contract this year.

 

“It takes two or three years to assemble the submarines. So if we sign the contract this year, they can be handed over to us in 2012,” Iskandar said.

 

“We just need to be assured that the government really wants to purchase the submarines.”

 

Adm. Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, the Navy chief, said earlier that the Navy needed submarines to defend its sovereignty, adding that they had only asked for two because they knew the state budget was limited.

 

A military source, who declined to be identified, said the Navy was in desperate need of the submarines to maintain some parity with Singapore and Malaysia. Singapore has ordered two new submarines from Sweden and Malaysia has ordered four from France.