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Submarine procurement unlikely as deadline approaches
Analysts say Indonesia does not urgently need the additional submarines, but agree it is time to revamp the Navy’s outdated platforms considering the sheer size of Indonesia’s maritime territory.
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Navy personnel stand on the Alugoro-405 submarine on Sept. 12, 2023, during the Hiu Kencana (Golden Shark) brevet ceremony for several officers including the Navy's Fleet commander Vice Adm. Heru Kusmanto and Vice Adm. Erwin S., the commander of Joint Regional Defense Command (Pangkogabwilhan) I, at the Madura Strait in Surabaya, East Java. (Antara/Didik Suhartono)
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ith a limited budget and unclear defense priority, the Navy’s aspiration to harness additional submarines by next year is improbable, posing another challenge to the country’s plan to modernize its military.
Analysts say Indonesia does not urgently need the additional submarines, but agree it is time to revamp the Navy’s outdated platforms considering the sheer size of Indonesia’s maritime territory.
Earlier this week, days before the Indonesian Military’s (TNI) 78th anniversary on Thursday, Navy chief of staff Adm. Muhammad Ali told reporters that he had communicated to the Defense Ministry the need to expand the country’s submarine fleet.
The Navy had been prioritizing the procurement of eight additional submarines, as outlined in the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) concept, ideally by the end of 2024.
Indonesia is currently home to four submarines: KRI Cakra 401, KRI Nagapasa 403, KRI Ardadedali 401 and KRI Alugoro 405. While KRI Cakra has served the country for more than four decades, the other three were procured relatively recently from a cooperation with the South Korean defense industries.
“Twelve would be ideal,” Ali said, adding that the Navy had visited various countries, including Germany, to collect information. “We’ll continue to make recommendations on which submarines would be ideal for the Indonesian waters.”
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