Iver Huitfeldt vs 30FFM ; Indonesia with Ambitions to Build the Strongest Navy in Southeast Asia

20 November 2020

Danish frigate Iver Huitfeldt class (photo : Steve Jagger)

Indonesia is ambitious to focus investment to build the strongest naval force in Southeast Asia; recently, the archipelago country has spent $ 3 billion to buy 8 new generation frigates from Japan.

Currently, the Indonesian navy is considered to be the most powerful in Southeast Asia. However, the largest surface warship of the Indonesian Navy Sigma (Type 10514), the full load displacement is only about 2,300 tons, but the frigates of the naval forces of some Southeast Asian countries have reached 3,000 tons. It can be said that in terms of floating ships, Indonesia is currently far behind.

The Indonesian leaders, of course, are aware of this situation, so they have taken various measures to increase their strength; The Indonesian Navy has signed a contract to buy the Iver Huitfeldt class frigate from Denmark; This type of warships with a full load displacement of 6,645 tons, equipped with APAR four-sided scanning array radar, the purchase price of these two warships is 720 million USD.

Details of Iver Huitfeldt class (photo : NavalNews)

Not only interested in buying Danish warships, the Indonesian navy is also interested in the French frigate Gowind 2500. Although this 3,100-ton fully displacement warship is not "top of the line", its overall combat capabilities are not underestimated.

But while many people think the Indonesian Navy will choose warships have European roots, a competitor from Asia suddenly appeared, that frigates 30FFM of Japan, has been leading the Indonesian military approved take.

The 30FFM battleship was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan. The standard displacement of this type of frigate is 3,900 tons, when fully loaded is 5,500 tons. Although compared with the French Gowind 2500, in terms of water stretch as well as combat ability, 30FFM are both higher; But compared to Iver Huitfeldt of Denmark, the 30FFM is no better in terms of combat strength, as well as range.

Iver Huitfeldt uses four diesel engines; The 30FFM uses a combination of a diesel engine and a gas turbine (CODAG). Although the two types of frigates had different propulsion systems, their top speeds were both 30 knots. But in terms of range, the distance of 6,000 nautical miles of the 30FFM is far less than 9,000 nautical miles of Iver Huitfeldt.

In terms of combat strength, Iver Huitfeldt also has many advantages, if the 30FFM is only equipped with the C-band OPY-1A active phase array radar (the simplified version of the FCS-3A). The main armament is the naval cannon Mk-45 127mm, 2 vertical launchers Mk-41 8 launch tubes and Type-17 anti-ship missile launchers.

The Iver Huitfeldt is equipped with a four-way APAR array radar system, the main weapon is 4 combinations of 8 Mk-41 vertical launch systems and 2 Mk-56 vertical launch systems consisting of 12 launch tubes / nest. well suited. Four anti-ship missile launchers Mk-141 Harpoon (one consists of four launch tubes).

Between the Japanese and Danish frigates, the displacement difference of more than 1,000 tons, so there is a large difference in such weapons and equipment; The main reason is because the Japanese 30FFM frigate is an anti-submarine version. So although sacrificing some air defense and anti-ship weapons, 30FFM owns the most advanced weapons systems, in anti-submarine warfare.

The 30FFM is equipped with a variable depth active sonar (VDS) and a drag array passive sonar (TASS). At the same time, the 30FFM is also equipped with unmanned water surface ships (USV), unmanned submarine vehicles (UUV) and self-propelled anti-mine munitions (EMD), to perform mine clearance missions.

In addition, the 30FFM also has an independent helicopter hangar, which can accommodate SH-60K helicopters. These advanced anti-submarine and anti-mine systems are indispensable for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, whose primary mission is anti-submarine warfare and anti-mine action. However, it is a bit "luxury" for Indonesia.

So why is 30FFM still "noticed" and favored by the leaders of the Indonesian Army? The reasons were none other than the following three; First, the 30FFM has a displacement of 5,500 tons, the original anti-submarine warfare systems can also be dismantled, so it has enough space and payload to carry other anti-ship and anti-ship weapons systems that Indonesia needs.

Second is the low cost of 30FFM, according to the announcement, the price of two 30FFMs ordered by Japan was only 467 million USD, then reduced to about 441 million USD. 

Although the Japanese 30FFM price is lower than the Iver Huitfeldt class of Denmark, but do not forget that, many details Iver Huitfeldt apply to civilian standards, so the cost of new construction has been reduced, but the quality cannot compare with 30FFM, fully warships apply.

Third is the most important reason, Japan has agreed to transfer some technology to Indonesia to build 30FFM frigates. In this way, Indonesia only needs to pay $ 3 billion to get 8 30FFM frigates, of which 4 are purchased complete and the remaining 4 are built in Indonesia. This is certainly a huge temptation for Indonesia.

It is certain that once there are eight 30FFM frigates, Indonesian naval might will lead the entire Southeast Asia region. Currently Japan is actively offering 30FFM, but it is not known whether Indonesia will decide to buy it or not?

But with the ambition of leading in Southeast Asia in the navy of the Indonesian leadership, as well as the effort to develop the defense industry of Japan, it is certain that the contract to purchase and sell the 30FFM frigates from Indonesia with Japan will be successful.

(KienThuc)