As expected, the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) turned to South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) to help build a second batch of three Type 209/1400 diesel-electric submarines.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of South Korea, a contract worth $1.02 billion was signed in Bandung, Indonesia on 12 April. Seoul is providing a loan via the Export-Import Bank of South Korea.

DAPA chief Wang Jung-hong commented, ‘We believe it is meaningful that the two countries again carried out this mutually beneficial defence cooperation project. The [Seoul] government will actively support the smooth implementation of the project.’

Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu added: ‘Not every country can produce submarines. In the ASEAN region, only Indonesia has been able to do so. We can already make them.’ He expressed a desire for Indonesia to export submarines in the future too.

Discussions between the two countries had been ongoing for some time, centred upon respective PT PAL and DSME work share portions and technology transfers. For the first submarine of this second batch, Indonesia will build two of the six modules in-country, although assembly will occur in South Korea.

Local content will progressively increase, as four modules on the second boat will be constructed by PT PAL and assembly will occur in South Korea again. On the final boat, Indonesia will build all six modules.

The project is due for completion by 2026.

Competing designs for this project are believed to have ...