Turkey Positions Type 209, 214 Submarines for Indonesia’s Third Nagapasa Batch

19 April 2019

A computer-generated image of the Type 214 submarine, one of two boat types discussed in STM's presentation to the Indonesian Navy in February 2019.  Indonesian Navy has further requirements for at least four more submarines beyond 2024 (image : TKMS)

Turkish naval shipbuilder Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret (STM) has made a formal presentation on its Type 214 and Type 209 submarine designs to senior Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) officials, with the intention of eventually offering the boats for Jakarta's further submarine requirements.

The presentation was made at the Neptunus Building within the TNI-AL's headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on 12 February 2019, according to de-classified meeting documents that have been provided to Jane's . Also present during the meeting were STM's local representative in Indonesia, PT Cipta Citra Perkasa, and the crew of Indonesia's second Nagapasa-class submarine, KRI Ardadedali (404).

Indonesia signed a contract for its first batch of three Type 209/1400 Nagapasa-class submarines with South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in 2011. Two of the vessels acquired under this batch, KRI Nagapasa (403), and Ardadedali , have been commissioned, while a third boat, Alugoro (405), was launched on 11 April 2019.

A day later Jakarta signed a contract for a second batch of Type 209/1400 submarines with DSME. This batch will bring Indonesia's fleet of submarines to eight by 2024, when including its pair of German-built Cakra-class boats that were commissioned in the early 1980s. This fleet strength is line with the revised objectives found in the Indonesian Armed Forces' modernisation blueprint known as Minimum Essential Force (MEF).

However, beyond 2024 Indonesian naval planners maintain the requirement for a total submarine fleet strength of 12 to adequately defend its vast archipelago. This means Jakarta could eventually acquire up to four vessels under its third submarine acquisition programme.

(Jane's)