The Nanggala tragedy and naval sustainability in southeast Asia (Opinion)
KRI Nanggala is the second of two Cakra-class diesel-electric submarines of the Indonesian Navy. (USN)
The tragic loss of an Indonesian submarine sends a timely reminder for all that submarines are more than a shiny plaything, and that they need lifetime investment.
The tragic sinking of the Indonesian submarine Nanggala, with the loss of all hands in April, brought into the spotlight the dismal force size of the archipelagic state’s navy, and raises questions regarding the state of readiness and safety of existing assets.
In the immediate wake of the mishap, Indonesian authorities vowed to get to the bottom of the causes behind the submarine’s loss.
However, even before the probe began properly — which would logically include conducting an underwater survey of the debris and inspection of critical evidence recovered from the seabed — the Indonesian authorities began circulating a
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