Indonesia state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia and France’s Naval Group have signed a MoU for potential cooperation on the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of Indonesian Navy’s (TNI AL) submarines.
The agreement was signed on 27 October in Jakarta, and while the official press release did not identify the submarine class covered by the planned cooperation, Naval News understands that it refers to the Nagapasa-class submarines.
According to PT PAL, the cooperation could help the company strengthen its technical capabilities in submarine maintenance and repair, including through technology mastery and further development of its engineers and technicians.
PT PAL said the exact scope of the cooperation has not yet been determined and will depend on the Indonesian Navy’s requirements and future agreements between the two companies.
PT PAL Director of Production, Diana Rosa, said this latest agreement with Naval Group is expected to improve PT PAL’s technical expertise and workforce capabilities while supporting the operational readiness of the Indonesian Navy.
Furthermore, the company stated that developing submarine MRO capability will require continued work in technology mastery, facility readiness, and personnel development. Therefore, this agreement is part of PT PAL’s strategy to gradually increase Indonesia’s ability to maintain its submarine fleet domestically and reduce reliance on foreign support.
Naval News Comments
The Indonesian Navy currently operates three Nagapasa-class submarines: KRI Nagapasa (403), KRI Ardadedali (404), and KRI Alugoro (405). The class is based on the Type 209 design and was developed by South Korea’s DSME (now Hanwha Ocean) as an Improved Chang Bogo-class derivative.
South Korea built the first two boats, while PT PAL assembled KRI Alugoro domestically in Indonesia.
PT PAL also has experience with major submarine MRO work. In 2022, the company completed the overhaul of the German-built Type 209 submarine KRI Cakra (401).
Moreover, PT PAL has previously told Naval News that the experience and technology gained from the ongoing local construction of the Scorpène Evolved submarines can also support future submarine MRO work. The company’s expanded submarine facilities in Surabaya City, East Java, are also designed to support both construction and maintenance activities.
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