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Jane's Navy International

Taking the stage: Indonesia envisions a 'world-class navy'

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The Indonesian Navy sees itself as instrumental in helping to realise Indonesia's vision of becoming a

maritime power. Ridzwan Rahmat describes the transformation taking place to enable the service to

support this aim

The Indonesian Navy's Diponegoro (SIGMA)-class corvette KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda. The class has been

deployed in rotation since 2009 to the UNIFIL operation off Lebanon. (TNI-AL)

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With 17,499 islands and 5.8 million km 2 of territorial waters - the latter making up two-thirds of

Indonesia's territory - why should Indonesia not be a maritime power? That was the question posed to IHS

Jane's by Admiral Marsetio, chief of staff of the Indonesian Navy, as he set out the context of the

transformation that is currently taking place in the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia -

Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL).

"More than half a century after we proclaimed independence, we are yet to be where we were during the

glory years of the Srivijaya Empire," said Adm Marsetio, referring to the empire that ruled vast areas of the

Malay Archipelago for over 600 years until the late 14th century. He pointed out that the strength of the

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ancient empire - which flourished on trade between Europe, South Asia, and the Far East - lay in its ability

to effectively govern regional sea lines of communication. Adm Marsetio added that Indonesia needs to

relive its days as a maritime power before it can achieve the status of a developed country - a status it aims

to realise by 2045, the 100th anniversary of the country's founding.

[Continued in full version…]

People power

Adm Marsetio admitted that the pillar which lies closest to his heart is the effort to cultivate the skills of

each and every service member, such that the TNI-AL has a personnel pool comparable in quality to, and

able to learn from, sailors from internationally renowned navies such as the US Navy (USN), the UK Royal

Navy (RN), and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

He revealed that one of the first initiatives he embarked on, upon assuming command, was to expand and

champion the use of proper English within the service. "Without having a grasp of the most commonly

spoken language in the world, how do we ensure that our service members learn from the rest of the

world," he asked, adding that even during personnel exchanges with China's People's Liberation Army Navy

(PLAN) in 2014 - when the TNI-AL sent a group of officers to learn about submarine operations - the

language of communication was English. "Acquiring competence in the language is, the way we see it, a

priority even before we begin discussing equipment acquisitions of any kind, because without the ability to

communicate well with the best [navies], we will not be able to learn from [them]."

"Besides communication skills, we have also been sending our most promising officers overseas for post-

graduate military studies. We see this as an important component of improving our human resource

capability," he said, revealing that in 2014 the TNI-AL has dispatched 12 officers for master's degree

programmes and four officers for doctoral degree programmes to command and staff colleges in various

regional countries, including Australia, Cambodia, China, New Zealand, and Singapore.


Organisational change

It is not just the recruitment process that is seeing rapid change. In terms of working processes and

practices, seasoned TNI-AL personnel can also expect to see significant revisions to what they have been

used to in recent decades. From an organisational perspective, one of the most significant changes will be

in the navy's command structure.

The TNI-AL's main fleet was originally divided between two geographical commands: the western fleet

(Komando Armada Republik Indonesia Kawasan Barat: KOARMABAR), which is headquartered in Jakarta

and oversees Indonesian portions of the Indian Ocean, the Malacca Strait, and the Natuna Islands; and the

eastern fleet (Komando Armada Republik Indonesia Kawasan Timur: KOARMATIM), which is headquartered

in Surabaya and whose responsibilities include Indonesia's maritime borders with Papua New Guinea and

Australia. Logistics and transportation issues were taken care of by a third, non-geographical, fleet known

as the strategic military sealift command (Komando Lintas Laut Militer: KOLINLAMIL).

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Adm Marsetio briefed IHS Jane's on the new structure: "There will now be an additional geographical fleet,

known as the central fleet, which will be headquartered in Makassar. This is being done to improve the

way in which the organisation operates and to position the service to better deal with the challenges in the

decades ahead." He did not, however, elaborate on the details of these challenges or on what responses

they might entail.

The admiral continued, "In line with the reorganisation of the TNI-AL into three geographical fleets is an

expansion of the Indonesian marine corps (Korps Marinir: KORMAR) into three commands from the single

command structure that it has currently."

He went on to explain that the reorganisation is being implemented partly to prepare the navy for an

Indonesian Armed Forces-wide reorganisation that aims to group assets under three area-based joint

commands. "It makes a lot more sense to establish joint commands that are based on geographical areas

so that assets from all three services - the army, the navy, and the air force - can be utilised to pursue

effective control of Indonesian waters, and to defend national interests," he said, adding that the navy is

aware that threats can emanate from both conventional and non-conventional sources, the latter including

maritime piracy and terrorism.


The TNI-AL demonstrated the capabilities of its Cakra Type 209/1300 class submarine KRI Nanggala during

the 69th TNI Day sail-pass in Surabaya, October 2014. (IHS/Ridzwan Rahmat)

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Equipment

When discussing with IHS Jane's the TNI-AL's equipment requirements and acquisitions, Adm Marsetio was

careful to emphasise that Indonesia is not seeking to increase offensive capabilities as a response to

ongoing regional security concerns.

"It is important to note that the TNI-AL is not going to add to the security dilemma that has become one of

today's issues," he said, making oblique reference to ongoing confrontations in the South China Sea, and to

Indonesia's unresolved maritime disputes with Malaysia near Tanjung Datu in West Kalimantan and Bintan.

"The TNI-AL's acquisitions were, and will continue, to be guided by the twin objectives of fulfilling our

international commitment of being actively involved in multilateral collaborations, such as peacekeeping

missions overseas, and in securing Indonesia's sovereignty over our territorial waters."

To fulfil these two objectives, Adm Marsetio said the TNI-AL has embarked on two distinct initiatives. The

first is to overcome obsolescence in existing platforms via system upgrades; this upgrade work was

initiated largely during Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's first five years as president. The second is to acquire

new platforms and to increase the number of ships in the fleet; this has generally been the focus of activity

in the second five-year phase.

The Kapitan Pattimura-class corvette KRI Sutanto demonstrating its RBU-6000 anti-submarine mortar

capability at the 69th TNI Day sail-pass in Surabaya, October 2014. (IHS/Ridzwan Rahmat)

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An example of upgrade work on older platforms that the TNI-AL has embarked upon is the retrofitting of its

15 Kapitan Pattimura (Parchim I)-class corvettes with a Chinese-developed Type 730 close-in weapon

system (CIWS). The former East German ships, which were re-commissioned into the TNI-AL between

September 1993 and October 1996, are also progressively being fitted with Chinese-developed ship,

weapon, and command combat management systems (CMS) by local company PT Len.

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Despite being over 30 years old, the TNI-AL considers the Kapitan Pattimura-class as a core fleet

component, given its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability and the growing number of submarine-

operating navies in the region. The vessels are equipped with MGK-332 hull-mounted sonars that work in

association with the ships' RBU-6000 rocket-powered ASW mortar launchers to prosecute submarines. A

live firing of these rocket launchers took place during a TNI Day Parade sail-pass, held in Surabaya in

October 2014, and this capability is touted as one of Indonesia's answers to the growing underwater risks

around its maritime territories.

The Kapitan Pattimura corvettes, together with the Ahmad Yani frigates, are also progressively being fitted

with 10 W-power low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) naval radars, produced by Indonesian naval sensor

manufacturer PT Infra RCS. The company told IHS Jane's in April 2014 that the concept behind such radar

capability is to allow detection of surface targets with reduced risk of being discovered.

Adm Marsetio explained that work on the Ahmad Yani frigates is ongoing, and follows previous upgrade

work, to allow the ageing ships to deploy Yakhont anti-ship missiles. All six frigates are currently deployed

with the KOARMATIM for maritime patrol duties.


This effort to support indigenous development is in line with a law, introduced in 2012, which decreed that

defence-related acquisitions must, where possible, seek to focus first on local procurement opportunities.

Exceptions should only be made if the required technology or service cannot be sourced locally, and a case

must be presented to the MoD's Defence Industrial Policy Committee (KKIP). This, effectively, creates a

'buy Indonesian first' policy.

The success of the multirole landing platform dock vessel KRI Banda Aceh (seen here in Surabaya) at the US

Navy-led 'RIMPAC 2014' international naval exercise in Hawaii convinced the TNI-AL of the platform's

viability as an HADR asset. (IHS/Ridzwan Rahmat)

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The chief highlighted the Makassar-class LPDs as an example of how the TNI-AL uses technology transfer

arrangements in its platform acquisition programmes. Banjarmasin and sister ship KRI Banda Aceh (593)

were built by Surabaya-based state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL in conjunction with Dae Sun Shipbuilding of

Busan, South Korea, where the first three units of the class were constructed.

"The fact that we were able to clinch the strategic sealift vessel (SSV) contract with the Philippine Navy

(PN) based on the design of the Makassar class shows that we have gained an international reputation for

naval shipbuilding. This is testament to the successful adaption of transfer of technology arrangements in

our acquisition programmes," said the admiral.

The LPDs can carry a crew of 126 and have a lift capacity of up to 1,750 tonnes, including 13 tanks, two

landing craft vehicle and personnel (LCVPs), and over 500 troops. "The LPD is a particularly important class

of ships for us given Indonesia's close proximity to earthquake-prone areas, and given our vulnerability to

natural disasters such as tsunamis, floods, and volcano eruptions," said the admiral. "Furthermore, the

successful participation of Banda Aceh at 'RIMPAC 2014' in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief

(HADR) exercises has convinced us that the Makassar class is exactly the kind of ship we need to operate in

such scenarios."

Banda Aceh 's deployment to the 2014 iteration of 'RIMPAC 2014' was the first time the TNI-AL had

deployed a ship to the USN-led exercise. The visit also presented the TNI-AL with the opportunity to

showcase to the international naval community the benefits of its LPD capacity.


Adm Marsetio indicated that the navy might consider the purchase of more Klewang-class vessels in the

near future if options presented by the shipbuilders are attractive enough - which IHS Jane's understands

to be in terms of technology transfer and indigenous development options. "We could be looking at a class

of between 6 to 20 vessels by 2024," he said. "The final number will depend on factors such as acquisition

costs and offset conditions presented by shipbuilders, but for now we are looking at a confirmed class of

four ships."

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An artist's impression of Indonesia's SIGMA 10514 Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR) guided-missile frigate.

(Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding)

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Beyond LPDs and stealth trimarans, Adm Marsetio highlighted the SIGMA 10514 Perusak Kawal Rudal (PKR)

frigate programme as a more important experiment and as an indicator to gauge whether the local

shipbuilding industry can take on the task of producing a complex warship.

PT PAL is building two SIGMA frigates jointly with Dutch shipbuilder Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding

(DSNS) under contracts signed in 2012 and 2013 by the Indonesian MoD. Both vessels are being assembled

from six major block modules in an arrangement aimed at transferring naval shipbuilding expertise from

DSNS to PT PAL.

In the first vessel, four modules were built by PT PAL with two supplied by DSNS. For ship number two, PT

PAL is building all blocks except the mast/bridge/operations module (which is to be completed by DSNS at

its Vlissingen yard in the Netherlands).

Adm Marsetio pointed to the slightly more complex nature of the ship's weapons and CMS as a reason why

the project, together with Indonesia's Type 209/1400 SSK order, is being closely watched as a guide to local

shipbuilding industrial capacity and capability. The SIGMA frigates will be equipped with an expanded

Thales TACTICOS CMS, a Rheinmetall Defence Millennium 35 mm CIWS, a Thales SMART-S Mk 2

surveillance radar, and a 12-cell vertical-launch air-defence system.

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"Once the two vessels are complete and operationalised, we will be assessing the need for more ships of

the type, given the archipelagic nature of this region and local capabilities to build more of such vessels

indigenously," he said.

First-of-class corvette KRI Bung Tomo (357) demonstrating naval fires and helicopter landing operations

during the 69th TNI Day sail-pass in Surabaya, October 2014. (IHS/Ridzwan Rahmat)

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To further enhance the vessel's capabilities in prosecuting submarines, a KOARMATIM source told IHS

Jane's , during the TNI's 69th anniversary celebrations in Surabaya, that the navy will equip the Bung Tomo

class with Airbus AS565 Panther ASW helicopters that will be jointly produced with state-owned aircraft

manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI).

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The TNI-AL's first-in-class KCR-40 missile attack craft KRI Clurit. Eight KCR-40s are now in service. (TNI-AL)

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To prepare the Bung Tomo class to embark the AS565, the TNI-AL is currently conducting helicopter trials

onboard with an AS365N Dauphin 2 on loan from Indonesia's search-and-rescue organisation, Badan SAR

Nasional (BASARNAS). The aircraft's operating envelope is said to be similar to the AS565, and hence is

assessed to be suitable for training and familiarisation purposes while awaiting the Panthers' arrival.

The TNI-AL announced in May 2014 the acquisition of the dipping sonar-capable helicopters, also to be

deployed on newer vessels such as the SIGMA 10514 corvettes.

Other acquisition highlights centre on the KCR-40 and KCR-60M attack craft classes. Adm Marsetio told IHS

Jane's that such craft had been assessed as very suitable for operations in Indonesia's archipelagic waters,

and that the service plans to operate 16 of each class by 2024. All vessels will be built in-country by local

shipbuilders such as PT Palindo Marine Industry, PT Citra Shipyard, and PT PAL.

The TNI-AL currently operates three KCR-60M vessels, and three more have been commissioned in 2014.

Eight KCR-40s are in service, four of which were also inducted in 2014. The KCR-40s will be equipped with a

batch of Chinese C-705 missiles before transitioning to a version built indigenously by state-owned

weapons manufacturer PT Pindad.

Capabilities

On top of these new acquisitions, Adm Marsetio told IHS Jane's that a more important priority for the TNI-

AL is to ensure that the service has the knowledge and capabilities to operate these platforms effectively.

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To build this fourth pillar, Colonel Yunus, who heads the TNI-AL's international affairs department, told IHS

Jane's that the service is stepping up international participation efforts so that its personnel can learn to

interoperate with other navies more effectively.

The TNI-AL has been actively participating in naval exercises such as Cooperation Afloat Readiness and

Training ('CARAT') with the USN, Exercise 'Sea Eagle' with the RSN, and Exercise 'Sea Garuda' with the Royal

Thai Navy (RTN). Additionally, in 2014, the service hosted for the first time a multilateral naval exercise;

known as 'Komodo 2014', this exercise saw the participation of 18 countries including China, Japan, New

Zealand, Russia, and the United States.


Conclusion

Part of the TNI-AL fleet, sailing in formation in the Java Sea. (TNI-AL)

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As recently as five years ago, the TNI-AL faced the seemingly insurmountable challenge of reconciling a lack

of resources with the need to upgrade ageing equipment, to ensure interoperability between assets, and

to procure new platforms to enable it to respond to regional security challenges. The service has been

criticised for its lack of ASW surveillance capability, despite Indonesia's maritime geography featuring

several choke points vulnerable to foreign submarine incursions.

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Recent developments indicate, however, that the TNI-AL is making steady - if slow - progress along the

right course. President Yudhoyono, a former four-star general, fulfilled his pledge to modernise the

Indonesian armed forces through increasing defence spending, with the budget rising from IDR22 trillion

(USD1.7 billion) in 2005 to IDR95 trillion in 2015.

The TNI-AL has been a significant benefactor of this uplift, acquiring new submarines, corvettes, attack

craft, and ASW-capable helicopters, as well as upgrading older platforms. As a significant number of these

upgrades and acquisitions have involved technology transfer processes to support indigenous production,

Indonesia is improving its own ability to deliver new naval platforms domestically.


THE TNI-AL AND REGIONAL MARITIME PIRACY Singapore-based maritime piracy watchdog, the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), has sounded the alarm over a rise in the number of regional piracy incidents (most of which have involved siphoning of fuel and oil from tankers). From January 2014 to mid-July ReCAAP recorded eight incidents, compared to three and four incidents in 2013 and 2012 respectively. One of the issues raised in the debate about factors contributing to the recent rise is the absence of naval and law enforcement vessels in locations where most of the incidents have taken place. These locations include Indonesia's territorial waters. However, KOARMABAR chief of staff Commodore Amarulla Octavian disagreed with the notion that piracy has been caused by the lack of naval vessels in the area, and argued that regional maritime piracy cannot be solved with increased vessel numbers alone. "To tackle the problem, we have to start looking on land rather than at sea," he told IHS Jane's . "There needs to be greater co-ordination between the anti-piracy bodies and navies when it comes to investigation efforts and information sharing. Currently, what we have are reports and incident alerts. What we need are follow-up actions such as joint investigative efforts between navies in the region and the anti-piracy bodies," said Cdre Octavian, who emphasised that the TNI-AL stands ready to provide information on piracy investigations it has conducted should other parties request it.


THE NATUNA ISLANDS - AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM? Against the backdrop of an increasingly strong and assertive Chinese presence in the South China Sea, a maritime region of concern to have emerged in recent years for Jakarta is the Natuna Islands. Indonesia is not involved in the number of ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea. However, Beijing's unilaterally declared 'nine-dashed-line' overlaps with Jakarta's claim to an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Natuna Islands region. A map on new Chinese passports also shows the region as part of China's territory, something which has raised eyebrows in Indonesia. The Natuna sea is home to one of the world's largest gas fields, one containing an estimated 46 trillion ft 3 (1.3 trillion m 3 ) of natural gas and condensates. In April 2014, the Indonesian Air Force announced plans to upgrade its air base at Ranai on Riau Island, the biggest of the Natuna Islands, so that the base can be used by Sukhoi Su-27 and Su-30 fighter aircraft. The

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planned deployment of air assets followed remarks made by armed forces chief General Moeldoko in February 2014 that the TNI-AL will deploy additional assets in the area to prepare for possible regional instability.


Copyright © IHS Global Limited, 2014

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ihs - janes.com · The Kapitan Pattimura corvettes, together with the Ahmad Yani frigates, are also progressively being fitted with 10 W -power low -probability-of-intercept