British start investigation into vanished Java Sea ships

DutchNews, November 17, 2016

The HNLMS Kortenaer in the 1930s 

The British authorities have started an investigation into the disappearance of seven shipwrecks – including three Dutch navy vessels – from the Java Sea. 

Earlier this week, Dutch defence minister Jeanine Hennis said the wrecks of cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter and HMLMS Java and much of destroyer HMLMS Kortenaer has vanished from the sea bed. 

The Guardian newspaper then reported that three British ships and a US submarine have also been destroyed by illegal scrap metal scavengers. 

The British government has now contacted Indonesian authorities to express ‘serious concern’ and request they investigate and take ‘appropriate action to protect the sites from any further disturbance’, the paper said. 

The discovery of the illegal salvage was made by divers during preparations for next year’s 75 year anniversary commemorations, Hennis said in a statement to parliament. 

The battle, involving Dutch, British, American and Australian ships, took place on February 27, 1942 and proved disastrous for the allies. Some 2,200 people died, including 900 Dutch nationals and 250 people of Indonesian Dutch origin. 

Related Article:

British second world war shipwrecks in Java Sea destroyed by illegal scavenging

AirAsia Search in Java Sea a Graveyard for WWII Naval Battle

Jakarta Globe – AFP,  Jan 02, 2015

An Indonesian helicopter searches for victims and debris during recovery
 operations on Jan. 1, 2015 for Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501 that
crashed in the Java Sea. (AFP Photo/Adek Berry)

Jakarta. The Java Sea where a massive search operation is underway for Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 is also the graveyard for one of the largest naval engagements of World War II.

Old wrecks, whether from battles or peacetime disasters, have occasionally given false leads to modern searches.

Indonesian search and rescue agency official S.B. Supriyadi said on Friday the hunt for the AirAsia plane had detected a metal structure but it proved to be a false lead, “possibly a ship which sank”.

While it is unlikely to have been an old warship, the Java Sea was the scene of a disastrous defeat for the Allied navies by invading Imperial Japanese forces as they swept through the Dutch East Indies.

In the Battle of the Java Sea on Feb. 27, 1942, a combined force of Dutch, US, British and Australian ships was hopelessly outmatched, suffering the loss of five warships and 2,300 sailors against Japanese losses of one damaged destroyer and 36 dead.

A second engagement by British and US forces on March 1 resulted in the sinking of three Allied warships with one Japanese destroyer damaged.

Wrecks from these World War II battles remain at the bottom of the Java Sea and are popular with divers.

In August last year, US Navy archeologists, working with Indonesian navy divers, identified one as the cruiser USS Houston, which sank during the Battle of the Sunda Strait in 1942.

The US Navy said the ship, nicknamed “The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast,” was the final resting place of about 650 sailors and Marines.

During the Battle of the Sunda Strait on March 1, 1942, the Houston and Australian cruiser HMAS Perth were sunk during an engagement with a vastly superior Japanese force.

The Houston’s captain received a posthumous Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism.

In November 2013 Indonesian researchers made a surprise discovery of what is believed to be a German submarine that was torpedoed off Java during World War II.

Researchers believe the wreck — which contained at least 17 human skeletons — is U-168, which succeeded in sinking several allied vessels before itself being torpedoed by a Dutch submarine in 1944.

“This is an extraordinary find that will certainly provide useful information about what took place in the Java Sea during World War II,” Bambang Budi Utomo, head of the research team at the National Archaeology Center that found the vessel, said at the time.

As well as the human skeletons, dinner plates bearing swastikas, batteries, binoculars and a bottle of hair oil were pulled from the wreck.

Japan occupied Indonesia during World War II, which was then still known by its colonial name of the Dutch East Indies. Tokyo and Berlin were allies during the war.

Agence France-Presse

Indian navy chief resigns after submarine accident: govt

Google – AFP, 26 February 2014

A Indian kilo-class submarine is anchored off the shore of Mumbai, on

February 14, 2001 (AFP/File, Sebastian D'souza)

New Delhi — India's navy chief resigned on Wednesday after a submarine accident off the coast of Mumbai saw two sailors missing and another seven injured, the defence ministry said.

"Taking moral responsibility for the accidents and incidents which have taken place during the past few months, the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral DK Joshi today resigned," a ministry statement said.

The seven sailors suffered breathing problems after trying to contain the smoke which filled the living quarters of the INS Sindhuratna during a training exercise, according to the navy.

Another two crew members have not yet been found on the Russian-built submarine, which was still seaworthy after the incident and was returning to port in Mumbai, the statement said.

The incident comes after 18 naval crew were killed in August last year when the fully-armed Russian-built INS Sindhurakshak exploded in flames and sank in a military shipyard in Mumbai.

The disaster was thought to be the Indian Navy's worst since the sinking of a frigate by a Pakistani submarine during a war with its neighbour in 1971.

Last month another submarine, INS Sindhughosh ran aground while returning to Mumbai harbour. No loss of life or damage was reported.

Indonesian researchers find 'German U-boat'

Google – AFP, 21 November 2013

Photo received on November 21, 2013 by the National Archaeology Centre and

 taken in Karimun Jawa, Central Java, shows markings on a plate found by Indonesian

 archaeologists at the site of a sunken German submarine from the World War II era

(National Archaeology Centre/AFP, National Archaeology Centre)

Jakarta — Indonesian researchers said Thursday they have discovered what is believed to be the wreck of a German submarine that was torpedoed off the main island of Java during World War II.

A team found the wreck -- which contained at least 17 human skeletons -- north of Java earlier this month after a tip-off from local divers.

Researchers believe it is submarine "U-168", which succeeded in sinking several allied vessels before itself being torpedoed by a Dutch submarine in 1944.

"This is the first time we have found a foreign submarine from the war in our waters," said Bambang Budi Utomo, head of the research team at the National Archaeology Centre that found the vessel.

"This is an extraordinary find that will certainly provide useful information about what took place in the Java Sea during World War II."

As well as the human skeletons, dinner plates bearing swastikas, batteries, binoculars and a bottle of hair oil were pulled from the wreck.

This undated handout photo received on November 21, 2013 by the National 

Archaeology Centre and taken in Karimun Jawa, Central Java, shows a skull

 found by Indonesian archaeologists at the site of a sunken German submarine from

the World War II era (National Archaeology Centre/AFP, National Archaeology Centre)

He said further tests were being carried out on the objects to confirm the submarine was "U-168".

"There could be more people in there. We are open to assistance from the German government to research this area of their history," he added.

Utomo said it was unlikely the wreck, some 60 miles (100 kilometres) northeast of Karimunjawa island, would be lifted from the seabed any time soon because of its sheer size and the cost involved.

Japan occupied Indonesia during World War II, which was then still known by its colonial name of the Dutch East Indies. Tokyo and Berlin were allies during the war.

Chinese submarines are the targets of US 'aquatic PRISM:' Xinhua

Want ChinaTimes, Staff Reporter 2013-07-07

The USNS Impeccable. (Photo Courtesy of USN)

Edward Snowden and the private information of citizens across the world might not be the only thing the United States is monitoring behind the scenes. China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reports that PLA submarines are being closely watched by China's cross-Pacific neighbor.

By providing sensitive information regarding the PRISM surveillance program to Western media, Edward Snowden has damaged the reputation of the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency. Not only does PRISM snatch information from the communications of US citizens, but it trespasses on the rights of internet users around the world, if such a right can be claimed.

US intelligence networks are, obviously or not, widespread and not restricted to the public sector. According to Xinhua, every movement of China's submarine fleet — and for that matter, the fleets of submarines around the world's oceans — are monitored by the US, through the deployment five ocean surveillance ships, including USNS Impeccable. All five vessels had been expelled by Chinese maritime surveillance vessels from the territorial waters of China.

A huge surveillance network has been established by the US Navy beneath the waters of East China Sea, South China Sea and the Yellow Sea, reported Xinhua. With any luck, there will be an aquatic version of Edward Snowden to bare the spotlight on this instrusive US monitoring program.

Navy to axe 'Fukushima type' nuclear reactors from submarines

Reactors sharing similar design to ones at Japanese plant to be dropped because they fail to meet safety standards

guardian.co.uk, Severin Carrell, Scotland correspondent, Wednesday 23 March 2011

Trident submarines based at Faslane, Scotland, and six Trafalgar-class
subs have reactors similar to the ones involved in Japan's nuclear
crisis. Photograph: Corbis

The Royal Navy is to drop a dangerous type of reactor used in its existing nuclear submarines because it fails to meet modern safety standards, defence ministers have disclosed.

A safer type of reactor is expected to be used in the submarines that will replace the Trident fleet, as the existing design shares very similar features to the nuclear reactors involved in the Fukushima Daiichi disaster in Japan.

Liam Fox, the defence secretary, told MPs there was a "very clear-cut" case to use the new type of reactor because it has "improved nuclear safety" and would give "a better safety outlook".

A heavily censored Ministry of Defence report disclosed earlier this month by the Guardian and Channel 4 News said the current reactors are "potentially vulnerable" to fatal accidents, which could cause "multiple fatalities" among submarine crews.

The report, written by a senior MoD nuclear safety expert, Commodore Andrew McFarlane, said the existing type compared "poorly" with those in the most modern nuclear power stations because it relied on a vulnerable type of cooling system, falling "significantly short" of modern best practice for nuclear reactors.

McFarlane warned that the naval reactors are "potentially vulnerable to a structural failure of the primary circuit". An accident could release "highly radioactive fission products", posing "a significant risk to life to those in close proximity and a public safety hazard out to 1.5km [1 mile] from the submarine".

Known as the PWR2, this type is used in the four Trident submarines based at Faslane, near Glasgow, and six Trafalgar-class ones now being taken out of service. Like the Fukushima power station north of Tokyo, the PWR2 relies entirely on back-up power supplies to provide emergency cooling in the event of an accident.

Despite the anxieties about its safety, PWR2s are also being fitted in the seven Astute-class submarines being built. These vessels will also be based at Faslane.

There have been debates within the MoD and the navy about whether the PWR2 should be used if a replacement to Trident is finally approved – or if a safer type, PWR3, should replace it. The PWR3 uses "passive" cooling, which makes it far less reliant on back-up power, and has additional methods of injecting coolant into a reactor.

The PWR3 is widely used in modern US nuclear submarines. The debate has delayed a decision on what type of reactor to install by 18 months, McFarlane's report disclosed, and has cost a further £261m.

Fox was questioned in the Commons on the reactor's safety by Angus Robertson, the Scottish National party's defence spokesman, after the disclosure of the report. Fox said: "The government's view is that that is the preferred option, because those reactors give us a better safety outlook. That is a debate on both sides of the Atlantic, but we believe that in terms of safety, the case is very clear-cut."

Robertson said: "This still raises concerns about the currently operational and incoming nuclear submarines, which don't satisfy acceptable safety standards. The UK should give up its nuclear obsession."

John Ainslie, from the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, who uncovered the original McFarlane report, said the new reactor would push up costs for the Trident replacement fleet by billions of pounds, since it would need designing and testing.

"There is another option: they should completely abandon their plan to squander billions on new nuclear submarines," he said.

Indonesia to Improve Underwater Defense, US Ties

Jakarta Globe, Harry Suhartono & Nopporn Wong-Anan, June 06, 2010

A Kri Kakra-class submarine of Indonesia on a test run after a revamp by South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering at Okpo 21 February 2006. Indonesia has 2 submarines but hopes to buy 10 more. (AFP Photo/DSME)

Singapore. Indonesia plans to increase the size of its submarine fleet over the next two years to defend its territory as well as protect international shipping lanes, its defense minister said on Saturday.

Purnomo Yusgiantoro also told Reuters the country was discussing buying 10 more C-130 military transport aircraft from Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) but had not come to any agreement. Indonesia currently has two submarines.

Singapore put out a warning earlier this year about possible attacks on ships in the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes that lies between the city state, Indonesia and Malaysia and carries about 40 percent of global trade.

“We have several countries that we think are able to supply them (submarines). We want to make sure that it would be compatible to our needs as well as our sea (conditions),” Yusgiantoro said in an interview on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialog security conference in Singapore.

“They are very important in order for us to guard sea lanes. We are going to have that in a couple of years,” he said, without giving further details.

Yusgiantoro also said the government had earmarked funds in this year’s budget to modernize some of its 32 C-130s.

“We can use that (plane) not only to bring troops, but also for humanitarian missions. We are ready to buy but we are still in discussions with the seller.”

Indonesia set aside 42 trillion rupiah ($4.6 billion) in 2010 for defense spending, with most earmarked for operating expenditure for its 550,000-strong military force.

The country plans to boost its defense spending up to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2014 from about 0.7-0.8 percent in 2010, among the lowest in the region.

Yusgiantoro held a meeting with U.S. defense Secretary Robert Gates on Friday, which he characterised as “very good”.

Indonesia is currently working to improve its military ties with the United States, including removing a ban on military training for its special forces, put in place over rights abuses blamed on elite troops.

“I think things will become more positive,” Yusgiantoro said, but he did not comment on when the ban was likely to be removed.

Yusgiantoro, a Catholic minister in the world’s most populous Muslim country, said his nation’s defense ties with Washington were akin to a marriage, which could be rocky at times.

“I don’t see any problem with our cooperation. But you know you always have little things going on, something like little arguments between you and your wife after she found a picture of another girl in your pocket,” he said.

Reuters

Indonesia plans to buy more submarines, C-130s

Reuters, By Harry Suhartono and Nopporn Wong-Anan, Sat Jun 5, 2010 10:27am EDT

SINGAPORE, June 5 (Reuters) - Indonesia plans to increase the size of its submarine fleet over the next two years to defend its territory as well as protect international shipping lanes, its defence minister said on Saturday.

Purnomo Yusgiantoro also told Reuters the country was discussing buying 10 more C-130 military transport aircraft from Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) but had not come to any agreement.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago with more than 17,000 islands, lies across shipping lanes between the Indian and Pacific oceans as well as between Asia and Australia, heavily used for transporting commodities and energy. It currently has two submarines.

Singapore put out a warning earlier this year about possible attacks on ships in the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes that lies between the city state, Indonesia and Malaysia and carries about 40 percent of global trade. [ID:nSGE62409F]

"We have several countries that we think are able to supply them (submarines). We want to make sure that it would be compatible to our needs as well as our sea (conditions)," Yusgiantoro said in an interview on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore.

"They are very important in order for us to guard sea lanes. We are going to have that in a couple of years," he said, without giving further details.

Yusgiantoro also said the government had earmarked funds in this year's budget to modernise some of its 32 C-130s.

"We can use that (plane) not only to bring troops, but also for humanitarian missions. We are ready to buy but we are still in discussions with the seller."

Indonesia set aside 42 trillion rupiah ($4.6 billion) in 2010 for defence spending, with most earmarked for operating expenditure for its 550,000-strong military force.

The country plans to boost its defence spending up to 1.5 percent of gross domestic product by 2014 from about 0.7-0.8 percent in 2010, among the lowest in the region.

Yusgiantoro held a meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates on Friday, which he characterised as "very good".

Indonesia is currently working to improve its military ties with the United States, including removing a ban on military training for its special forces, put in place over rights abuses blamed on elite troops.

"I think things will become more positive," Yusgiantoro said, but he did not comment on when the ban was likely to be removed.

Yusgiantoro, a Catholic minister in the world's most populous Muslim country, said his nation's defence ties with Washington were akin to a marriage, which could be rocky at times.

"I don't see any problem with our cooperation. But you know you always have little things going on, something like little arguments between you and your wife after she found a picture of another girl in your pocket," he said.

Two Indonesian sailors become heroes in South Korea

Antara News, Thursday, April 22, 2010 15:36 WIB

Seoul (ANTARA News) - Two Indonesian sailors are deemed heroes for South Korea after their trawler went down, along with five other South Korean sailors, following a collision with a Cambodian cargo ship in the West Sea, a local newspaper said Wednesday.

The trawler, Geumyang No. 20 with those Indonesian sailors working on it, was involved in the rescue operation for the victims of the sunken South Korean naval ship, Cheonan, 20 years ago. Seven victims are still missing until Wednesday, including an Indonesian and two others had been found dead.

The two Indonesian sailors, Lambang Nurcahyo (36) who has been found dead, another one Yusuf Harefa (36) who is still missing. The government of South Korea has through its embassy in Jakarta has contacted their family members in Indonesia.

The Korea Times, in its editorial, Wednesday, regrets the fact that the nation and government are mourning the loss of the fallen 46 victims of the sunken naval ship Cheonan, but have forgotten Geumyang`s sailors. The naval ship sank after an as yet still need to be explained the reason what has made it went down. Analyzes have been circulated in this country, saying it sunken by a North Korean torpedo sent from a submarine.

The South Korean government, through its embassy in Jakarta, has contacted the family members of the victims and expressed deep regrets over the tragedy. The government says both Korean and Indonesian victims will get the same treatment in accordance with the law.

The two Indonesian sailors were part of some 500,000 Indonesian migrant workers in South Korea presently.

Navy ready to modernize warship fleet

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 12/30/2009 8:59 AM

The Indonesian Navy is ready to modernize its fleet of warships and aircraft in 2010 as part of its effort to fulfill the minimum essential force (MEF) capability.

Navy chief of staff Vice Adm. Agus Suhartono said Tuesday the MEF concept was designed to fulfill core duties and ensure certain capabilities to face threats in defending the state ideology and territorial integrity, protecting the nation’s honor and safety, and enforcing the law in Indonesian waters when a threat may be larger than the available force.

To reach the MEF capability, Agus said the Navy had three strategies, to procure new weaponry systems by prioritizing domestic strategic industries, increasing the capabilities of existing systems and phasing out systems that are no longer effective.

“We will be procuring corvettes, landing ship tanks [LSTs], missile-equipped fast boats [KCR], trimaran KCR and training ship,” he said.

“As for airplanes, a contract has been signed to procure three CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft.”

Agus was speaking at a press conference on the Navy’s performance in 2009 and plans for the coming year.

He told The Jakarta Post the Navy would replace the KRI Dewa Ruci with a new and longer tall ship.

“The new tall ship will be 105 meters long and the procurement is currently being processed,” he said.

Made in Germany, the barquentine entered service with the Indonesian Navy in 1953.

Agus also said 35 units of Russian-made BMP-3F amphibious tanks would be deployed in 2010.

As for submarines, he said the President has decided to consider the government’s financial condition, but said it was expected that two submarines would be purchased in 2014.

Agus told the conference the Navy managed to secure some Rp 13.8 trillion in potential state losses by preventing illegal activities.

The figure is slightly higher than 2008’s figure of Rp 13.7 trillion.

He said Rp 2.4 trillion was saved from illegal fishing, Rp 52.4 billion from illegal logging and Rp 11.3 trillion from various cases including commodities such as granite, coal, tin, fuel, cement, sand and crude palm oil.

Agus said such sea security duties were part of the Navy’s military operations in addition to war responsibilities.

“The Navy is also involved in diplomatic duty to support the government’s foreign policy, including goodwill missions, sending officers for training abroad and exercises with foreign navies,” he told the conference.

“We also send our personnel and task force to UN missions in Congo, Lebanon, Nepal and Somalia.”

The SIGMA-class KRI Diponegoro has served a six-month monitoring mission under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon’s Maritime Task Force.

“We are ready to send KRI Frans Kaisiepo to Lebanon pending orders from the Indonesian Military headquarters,” Agus told the Post.

The press conference was closed with a shooting competition for Navy officers, chief editors, producers and reporters.

Navy to ground 27 old war machines

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 12/21/2009 3:01 PM

The Indonesian Navy is to ground six warships and 21 Nomad surveillance planes as part of its gradual phasing-out of its aging war machines.

Navy chief Vice Adm. Agus Suhartono said on Monday the armed force would maintain six other Nomad planes as training aircraft for cadets. It has also struck a deal worth US$80 million to purchase three maritime patrol aircraft from state aircraft maker PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) as replacements for the old Nomads.

“The three CN-235 maritime patrol planes and the six remaining Nomads [are] adequate to conduct surveillance duties,” Agus told Antara news agency.

He said PT DI would develop a more sophisticated surveillance aircraft for the Navy.

“In the future the aircraft [will be] equipped with anti-submarine technology, depending on equipment, operational needs and technical specifications that we want,” Agus said.

The Navy has not decided whether to replace the six US-built warships, which have been in service for over 20 years.

Nanggala Submarine Repaired in South Korea

Tempo Interactive, Wednesday, 16 December, 2009 | 16:33 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Surabaya:To improve its fighting capability, the Indonesian Navy will send the Nanggala Submarine 402 to South Korea for repairs and additional weaponry.

“We sent the Nanggala Submarine on Tuesday for an overhaul,” said Eastern Armada Information Office chief, Lt. Col. Marine Toni Syaiful in his press release on Wednesday (16/12).

According to Toni, the Nanggala is the second submarine to be repaired in South Korea after the Cakra-401 battleship.

The Nanggala is a 209/1300-type submarine that is widely used by the navy worldwide. In Indonesia, the 1981 West Germany-made submarine was used for joint practices with the United States in 2002 and 2004.

The Nanggala Submarine was also used for a joint maritime operation in the Indian Ocean in 2004, when it managed to sink the ex-Rakata Ship.

The Nanggala submarine is the Indonesian Navy’s major battleship in its armada. It is equipped with a low-speed, Siemens’ electrical ship generator without a gear that is able to distribute direct power through a shaft to the submarine’s propellers. The total power distributed is 5000 horse power shaft.

ROHMAN TAUFIQ

Vietnam orders submarines and warplanes from Russia

BBC News, By Nga Pham, BBC Vietnamese Service

Vietnam has ordered six of the Russian Kilo class submarines

Vietnam has signed billion-dollar contracts to buy submarines and fighter jets from Russia, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has announced in Moscow.

The deals make Vietnam one of the key clients of the Russian arms industry.

The weapons purchases come at a time when disputes over sovereignty are increasing in the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea.

Vietnam, China and other countries have competing claims over potentially oil and gas-rich island chains there.

"Vietnam signed contracts for the purchases of submarines and planes from the Russian side," the Vietnamese prime minister said, without elaborating.

Russian agency Interfax quoted unnamed sources as saying that Hanoi was to buy six diesel-electric Kilo-class submarines worth $2bn (£1.2bn).

Vietnam is already awaiting the delivery of eight Sukhoi Su-30MK2 fighter jets from Russia in 2010. It is considering ordering 12 more, Interfax quoted another Russian source as saying.

A regional defence analyst said the rising tension in the South China Sea was "clearly a source of concern" to Hanoi.

The submarine acquisition "would increase [Vietnam's] negotiating power in the maritime disputes", Professor Carlyle Thayer of the Australian Defence Force Academy said.

Still a long wait until Navy can operate more submarines

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 12/07/2009 11:21 AM

Because of limited government budget allocations, the Indonesian Navy will have to wait for up to four years before procuring two additional submarines to strengthen the current fleet of two submarines.

"This isn't our call because we have to coordinate with the Indonesian Military *TNI*, the Defense Ministry and the government," Navy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Agus Suhartono was quoted as saying by Antara news agency in Surabaya on Saturday.

"We have proposed the plan for quite some time now and the budget is still being studied. Hopefully, the two submarines can be procured by 2014," he said.

Agus was speaking at the sidelines of a ceremony to commemorate Fleet Day at the Navy's Eastern Fleet Command headquarters in Surabaya.

Agus said during the selection and assessment process, the Navy had singled out Italy, the Netherlands and Russia as potential suppliers of the two submarines.

"We will choose a country that can provide us with a product at a competitive price and offers better transfer of technology options," he said.

"The tender process will be open using a credit export financing scheme."

Each submarine is estimated to cost around Rp 3.5 trillion (US$371.85 million).

Agus added the two additional submarines will increase the Navy fleet's capabilities in securing Indonesian maritime territories.

Currently Indonesia operates the German-made U-209 class KRI Cakra and the KRI Nanggala submarines that were commissioned in 1981.

Indonesia first started using submarines in 1959 when two Russian-made Whiskey class submarines moored at the Tanjung Perak harbor in Surabaya.

Indonesia operated 12 Whiskey class submarines.

Before being replaced this year, former defense minister Juwono Sudarsono had narrowed the list of possible suppliers to South Korea and Russia.

Commenting on this, Navy chief spokesman Commodore Iskandar Sitompul said there might have been new assessments since "the Navy Chief of Staff mentioned *different potential suppliers*".

Iskandar said with such a challenging geography, Indonesia needed submarines to safeguard its maritime territories.

"Our closest neighbors also operate submarines," he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday, referring to Australia, Malaysia and Singapore.

"We need submarines to maintain a regional balance of power to secure peace."

Iskandar insisted the government was still prioritizing sectors such as education and health.

Two other countries in Southeast Asia also operate submarines.

Singapore currently has four Challenger class submarines, formerly the Swedish-made Sjoormen class. One submarine was procured in 1995 while the rest were acquired in 1997. These submarines were originally built for the Swedish Navy in the late 1960s.

Singapore added two Archer class (formerly known as Vastergotland class) submarines from Sweden in 2005. The submarines were built in the 1980s and were placed in reserve by the Swedish Navy.

The first submarine, RSS Archer, was launched on June 16 for sea trials and expected to return to Singapore in 2010.

Recently, Malaysia has just received its first of two French-made Scorpene class submarines.

Ordered in 2006, the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman was launched on Oct. 24, 2007 and arrived on Sept. 3 this year.

Meanwhile, the Royal Australian Navy has six Collins class submarines and plans to acquire 12 new submarines by 2025.

RI Navy to buy two submarines in 2011 or 2012

Monday, August 31, 2009 22:42 WIB

Surabaya (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Navy intends to procure two submarines in 2011 or 2012 at a total cost of about US$700 million, its chief, Admiral Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno, said here Monday.

(istimewa/ANTARA)

"The procurement plan for execution in 2011 or 2012 is currently being worked out by the defense ministry," Parijanto told the press after installing a new chief for the Indonesian navy`s Eastern Fleet Command.

"We still have to decide from which country we will buy the submarines and also have yet to determine their specifications. We may buy them from Korea, France or Russia," he said.

At present, the Indonesian navy had two German-made submarines but they were of very old vintage, he said, adding one of them some time ago underwent an overhaul, and the other now would follow suit soon.

The navy had yet to determine the specifications of the two yet-to-be-purchased submarines but it was clear that they must have capabilities on a par with or , if possible exceeding, those of subamrines owned by neighboring countries, he said.

It was hoped the additional submarines would enable the navy to guard Indonesia`s vast maritime territory in a more effective way, the navy chief said.

Meanwhile, the post of chief of the navy`s Eastern Fleet Command based in Surabaya was transferred from Rear Admiral Lili Supramono to Commodore Ignatius Dadiek Surarto who was previously commander of the main naval base in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Rear Admiral Lili Supramono was to be reassigned as a special assistant to the navy chief of staff at the navy`s headquarters.

Related Article:

RI yet to choose prospective submarine supplier

French naval ships arrive in Jakarta

The Jakarta Post  |  Sat, 02/21/2009 3:42 PM  

 

  A French Navy officer rides an exercise bike on board of the Jeanne d’Arc helicopter carrier on Saturday. The carrier together with the Georges Leygues antisubmarine warfare destroyer and 121 cadets from various countries, including one from Indonesia, arrived in Jakarta on Saturday on a goodwill mission. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

 

INDONESIA: The French Navy's helicopter carrier Jeanne d'Arc and the antisubmarine warfare (ASW) destroyer Georges Leygues will arrive in Jakarta on Saturday on a goodwill mission, the French Embassy said Friday.

 

"The Jeanne d'Arc functions as a basic training ship for naval cadets. In the 2008/2009 batch, there are 121 cadets, including one from Indonesia," the embassy said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post.

 

Both ships, which have a combined crew of 795 people, took part in the humanitarian mission in the tsunami-hit Aceh in 2005, the embassy said.

 

The captain of the 182-meter-long Jeanne d'Arc is Herve Blejean, while the Georges Leygues is under the command of Thierry Catard.

 

Both ships, which began their journey from the French port of Brest on Dec. 9, 2008, will leave Jakarta on Feb. 26.

 

The embassy also said that a French delegation under the leadership of Brest Mayor Francois Cuillandre was in the town to strengthen relations between the two countries. - JP