Indonesia launched its third Type 209/1400 Nagapasa-class (Chang Bogo-class) diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) for the Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut) on April 11, according to local media reports.
The launching ceremony of the KRI Alugoro (405) SSK took place at the Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, located on the northeastern coast of Java island. The ceremony was attended by a host of dignitaries, including Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu.
KRI Alugoro is the first-ever submarine to be assembled locally at the PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya.
“Not every country can produce submarines,” Ryacudu said in his remarks. “In the ASEAN region, only Indonesia has been able to do so. We can already make them.” The defense minister added that the new submarine features some of the latest undersea warfare technologies. He also expressed his hopes that Indonesia will be able to export submarines in the future.
The submarine was originally scheduled for launch in October 2018. However, the SSK had to be moved to an alternative launch site following the discovery that the original location has become too shallow for the submarine owing to sedimentary deposits, IHS Jane’s reported in March.
Indonesia and South Korea signed a $1.1 billion contract for three Nagapasa-class SSKs in December 2011 as part of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense’s 2024 Defense Strategic Plan, which calls for the procurement of at least 10 SSKs for the Indonesian Navy.
The first two SSKs of the class were built by South Korean defense contractor Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), while the third boat was assembled with the support of South Korean engineers as part of a technology transfer program. PT PAL received the different submarine modules from South Korea in December 2016 and subsequently began the assembling process.
The first-of-class SSK, KRI Nagapasa (403), was commissioned in August 2017 in South Korea and is now homeported at the Palu Naval Base in the Watusampu province of Central Sulawesi. The second SSK, KRI Ardadedali (404), was delivered to the Indonesian Navy last year. The three submarines are slated to remain in service with the Navy for 30 years. As I wrote in February:
The Type 209/1400 [Nagapasa-class] SSK is a license-built variant of the German Type 209 submarine produced by DSME. The 1,400-ton SSK class has an operational range of around 11,000 nautical miles and has an endurance of about 50 days. The sub is a multipurpose platform capable of conducting anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, and special forces missions. The SSK can be armed with heavyweight torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and mines.
According to Indonesian naval planners, the Navy needs at least 12 operational submarines to fulfill its core mission of protecting Indonesian territorial waters. Jakarta and Seoul are reportedly close to signing a follow-up order for three Nagapasa-clas SSKs. A contract is expected to be signed in the coming days.