Will Indonesia Buy French Stealth Submarines?
Jakarta is interested in bolstering its deterrence capabilities.
By
Franz-Stefan Gady
October 08, 2015
Indonesian defense officials have expressed interest in purchasing French-built
Scorpene-class 1000 diesel-electric attack submarines (SSK)
IHS Jane’s Navy International reports.
Representatives of the French shipbuilder DCNS, the company offering the boats, confirmed Indonesian-French government-to-government talks at
this year’s Pacific 2015 International Maritime Exhibition currently taking place in Sydney, Australia.
“The talks are going on at the government-to-government level, mostly to discuss the needs of the Indonesian Navy,” according to a DCNS representative interviewed by
IHS Jane’s Navy International.
“So far, what the Indonesians have identified is the need for a complementary submarine fleet that can fill in the gaps of their new ocean-going submarines, and they are considering the Scorpene 1000.”
The last time the Indonesian Navy received new submarines was in the 1980s with the delivery of two German
Type 209/1300 diesel-electric attack submarines (known as
Cakra-class in Indonesia), which subsequently underwent several major refits modernizing the subs’ propulsion systems, detection and navigation systems, and new fire control and combat systems by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), which is building Type 209 variants under license.
In December 2011, DSME was awarded a contract for the construction of three 1,400-ton
Chang Bogo-class (a license-built variant of the 209) diesel-electric attack submarines. The boats are expected to be delivered between 2015 and 2016 with a commissioning date set for the first half of 2018. The subs will be
equipped with eight weapon tubes for torpedoes and guided missiles and
feature cutting edge electronic defense and radar signal detection systems.
According to Indonesia Navy officials, the country will need at least six submarines to secure its key maritime straits (Malacca, Sunda and Lombok). Among other things, the Indonesian government
appears to be also interested in procuring a number of Russian-made
Kilo-class attack submarines.
However, DCNS officials in Sydney think that the
Scorpene-class 1000 SSK will be the ideal solution for Indonesia, given the country’s geography. “The Scorpene 1000 is an especially suitable platform for the Indonesian Navy, given the country’s archipelagic nature. he platform has been designed to operate … in shallow waters and is very difficult to detect due to the depths associated with littoral waters,” one DCNS official said.
IHS Jane’s Navy International describes some of the sub’s technical specifications based on information provided by DCNS including a surface displacement of about 1,000 tons, a length of 50 meters, and a submerged speed of around 15 knots. Furthermore, the vessel’s range is stated to be around 4,000 miles and can stay submerged for up to five days. Additionally, the French-made SSK has a dive depth of over 20 meters and can fit a crew of 21 and up to six navy divers.
Will Indonesia Buy French Stealth Submarines? | The Diplomat
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More countries purchase weapons from PT Pindad
Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | National | Thu, October 08 2015, 5:02 PM
State-owned land system and weapons maker PT Pindad said on Wednesday that many countries had shown interest in its weapons and that it had inked contracts to provide weapons to some of them.
“We are selling our products to places such as Singapore, Laos, Nigeria, the Philippines, Timor Leste and Thailand,” Pindad president director Silmy Karim told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Pindad produces automatic rifles, pistols, grenade launchers, munitions and war vehicles. The Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police dominate its market.
The company was also proud of its products as TNI personnel had won several international shooting tournaments using Pindad weapons.
“We have high-quality weapons, that’s why our soldiers win international tournaments and have attracted interest from other countries,” Silmy said.
Silmy said the firm’s most recent contract was sealed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in September, when President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited Abu Dhabi.
According to the contract, Pindad will transfer technologies to UAE defense logistics and support company Continental Aviation Services (CAS), with the goal of enabling the local manufacturer and marketing Indonesian products. The products include the SS2 assault rifle and ammunitions.
“The plan to build the SS2 weapon plant in UAE will commence in 2017,” Silmy said.
CAS will also collaborate with Rheinmentall Defense Canada to transfer technologies to Pindad, allowing the company to manufacture remote weapon systems (RWS) using Pindad’s name.
The domestic strategic industry was dormant for years after president Soeharto stepped down in 1998 amid the economic crisis. The country received fund assistance during that time from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which had urged the government to stop supporting the defense industry.
However, during the tenure of president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the House of Representatives passed Law No. 16/2012 on the defense industry and a special committee was tasked with focusing on the issue.
The idea was also in line with Yudhoyono’s plan to equip TNI with a new and sophisticated weaponry system to meet the Minimum Essential Force (MEF).
As Yudhoyono’s successor, Jokowi has promised to improve TNI’s weaponry system by reducing weapon exports and placing more focus on weapon products from Indonesia.
“We will reduce imports of weapon systems by developing our defense industry,” Jokowi said, during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the TNI in West Java.
Silmy said that Pindad was still struggling to improve its products. The company had sent several of its best people to learn about weapons technology overseas.
“We need young people who understand weapons technology so that Pindad can produce more sophisticated weapons for Indonesia,” Silmy said
The 2012 law also supports Pindad in efforts to obtain technology from countries Indonesia had ordered products from.
Although Pindad had the opportunity to grow, Silmy said that the company needed more support from the government, including a sufficient budget to boost the company’s capacity.
Source:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2...pt-pindad.html
Indonesian PT Pindad along with CAS will made a license product of RCWS from Rheinmetall Canada
Indonesian Naval forces