Final Details of Arrowhead 140 Contract Expected by November 2021

28 September 2021

Arrowhead 140 frigates (image : Babcock)

After the FREMMs, Indonesia buys the Type-31 frigates

For the head of the class destined for the Royal Navy (HMS VENTURER), the cutting of the first sheet will take place by September. On the 16th of the same month, the Type-31 frigates designed by Babcock based on the design of the Danish IVER HUITFELDT marked the first export success, in the ARROWHEAD-140 version, thanks to the contract signed with Indonesia. 

The Asian island giant in fact continues its modernization effort started in the 2000s and already materialized with the purchase of South Korean submarines and amphibious ships, and light frigates/corvettes of the SIGMA family of the Dutch DAMEN, and which on 10 June culminated in the maxi contract with Fincantieri for the procurement of 6 FREMM-ASW frigates, plus 2 MAESTRALE reconditioned as gap-fillers. 

The new contract with Babcock includes an agreement for the construction under license by the Indonesian PT-PAL shipyard in Surabaya (which will also be involved in the construction of 2 of the Italian FREMMs) of 2 Type-31/ARROWHEAD-140, in a modified version and customized for these almost 139 m long ships, with a displacement of 5.700 tonnes and a speed of 28 knots. 

In the version destined in 5 specimens for the RN, the configuration is that of a medium surveillance frigate, relatively lightly armed although with space and predispositions for further weapon systems. 

The Indonesian Navy, which in 2007-2017 has already put into service 9 light frigates/ corvettes and which from 2025 will deploy the 6 sophisticated Italian anti-submarine frigates, would now need air defense units: in 2019-2020 IVER HUITFELDT was considered for this role. More details will emerge with the definition of the final contract, expected by November.

(RID)