Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia marked another significant milestone on June 5 with the first steel-cutting ceremony for the second Red White-class frigate at its shipyard in Surabaya City, East Java. This event signifies the commencement of the physical construction phase for the new vessel, which is based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design.
The Red White frigates are part of Indonesia’s ongoing efforts to modernise its navy (TNI AL) as well as enhance the capabilities of its domestic defence industry so that it could build larger and more complex surface combatants. The steel-cutting ceremony was attended by key stakeholders, particularly those from the Indonesian Ministry of Defence and TNI AL.
According to PT PAL, the Red White Frigates will see a substantial increase in the number of combat systems and weapon platforms compared to the original Arrowhead 140 design offered to TNI AL. In addition, the shipbuilder stated that it would be responsible also for conducting harbour and sea acceptance tests of the frigate.
Naval News understands that the selection of weapon systems and other critical components, driven by technical and non-technical considerations from the Ministry of Defence and/or Navy, has necessitated adjustments to the frigate’s design. The frigate is projected to use a considerable amount of Turkish-made systems.
In a press release published by TNI AL, it is stated that as of May, 2024, the construction progress of this second frigate (construction number W000305) has reached 33.5%, surpassing the original plan of 24.8%.
Both the Ministry of Defence and Navy stated that the Red White frigate will have a length of 140 metres, a width of 19.75 meters, and a full load displacement of 6,626 tonnes. The maximum speed is 28 knots, while the maximum operating range is 9,000 nautical miles. Furthermore, the frigate is designed to be crewed by 143 people and has an operational endurance of 21 days.
The first Red White-class frigate has already seen significant progress since its initial construction phase. The first steel cutting for this vessel took place in November 2022, followed by the keel-laying ceremony in August 2023.
Naval News understands that based on the construction timeline presented to the Ministry of Defence earlier this year, the first frigate is slated for delivery in 2026 and the second in 2027.
Next Frigate Project?
PT PAL has signalled its intention to expand its portfolio by constructing more major surface combatants. In a significant step towards this goal, on June 4 the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Naval Group for the joint development of Defense and Intervention Frigates (FDI) frigates.
To note, on March 31, Naval News published a report about the FDI offer to Indonesia, including its full configuration and the potential for full domestic construction by PT PAL.
“PT PAL will receive full Technology Transfer (ToT) for the entire ship design as well as digital frigate construction management. This will increase PT PAL’s capability in building advanced frigates and competing in the global market”.
PT PAL Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Willgo Zainar
Moreover, PT PAL said that its growing strategic partnership with the Naval Group signifies both shipbuilders’ commitment to contributing to regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.