Shipmaker PT PAL Indonesia has expressed confidence that it will be able to deliver a third submarine ordered by the Indonesian Navy on time.

The company has reasons to be upbeat: Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co (DSME) has trained more than 200 Indonesians in South Korea as part of a transfer-of-technology agreement between the two companies.

PT PAL, with the assistance of DSME, is expected to deliver the third submarine in late 2018.

The state-owned shipmaker’s president director, Budiman Saleh, conceded that when working on the first and second Changbogo Class submarines in South Korea, the company made a number of mistakes.

However, none have been made during the building of the third
submarine.

“This is a historic moment for us, PT PAL, because according to DSME’s supervision, we have made zero mistakes when working on the third submarine in Surabaya,” Budiman said on the sidelines of a ceremony for the third submarines which was held at the grand assembly area of the company’s warship division in Surabaya on Monday.

He added that with the expertise of its employees, PT PAL would be able to independently master submarine-building technology, the highest level of technology in the shipyard industry.

The company is currently working on joining and integrating different sections made separately in DSME’s factory in South Korea into the single hull of a submarine.

DSME won the bid for building three submarines for the Indonesian Navy. It invited PT PAL Indonesia to take part in the project through a transfer-of-technology scheme.

The government has previously disbursed Rp 1.5 trillion (US$112.4 million) through a state capital injection (PMN) scheme that PT PAL used to develop a submarine factory and purchase various supporting equipment needed in the process of joining and integrating the third submarine.

The company uses a five-section joining technique starting from the stern to the bow of the submarine.

If the process succeeds, PT PAL Indonesia will be able to build the fourth, fifth and sixth submarines independently.

“We are targeting to produce the fourth, fifth and sixth submarines entirely in PAL,” Budiman said.

In a related development, the Navy chief of staff Adm. Ade Supandi led the ceremony to welcome the arrival of KRI Nagapasa-403 submarine at Ujung Koarmatim pier, Surabaya, from South Korea, after being officially launched by Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu earlier this month.

The KRI Nagapasa-403, according to Ade, was the first of the three submarines built by PT Pal and DSME in South Korea and Indonesia.

“The KRI Nagapasa-403 can produce a deterrent effect in the region, improve the Navy’s performance in conducting its tasks and actively strengthen Indonesia’s defense,” Ade said.

The submarine, which was commanded by Lt. Col. Harry Setyawan, traveled from South Korea with 41 crew members on board.

It took 16 days for the 61.3-meter vessel to arrive in Indonesia.

With an underwater speed of about 21 knots, the submarine can travel for more than 50 days and carry 40 crew members.

It is equipped with eight torpedo tubes.

The KRI Nagapasa-403 boasts the latest combat system, an enhanced operating system, non-hull penetrating mast, comfortable accommodation, as well as torpedo launchers capable of launching 533 mm torpedoes and anti-surface ship missiles.

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