Indonesian Navy chief downplays request to revive ageing vessels

The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) chief, Admiral Yudo Margono, has written to the country’s defence minister to explain why it will not be possible to revive a number of naval vessels that have either retired, or are already in the process of being prepared for retirement.

The admiral was responding to a request by the minister, Prabowo Subianto, to either reverse or halt the decommissioning processes of 10 Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) warships that have, or are being prepared for decommissioning.

These vessels are namely the amphibious landing ships Teluk Penyu (513) KRI Teluk Mandar (514), KRI Teluk Sampit (515), the Kapitan Pattimura (Parchim I)-class missile corvette, Pati Unus (384), the troop transport ship KRI Nusanive (973), the oil tanker KRI Sorong (911), the mine countermeasures vessel KRI Pulau Rote (721), the Kupang-class landing craft, Nusa Utara (584), the coastal tanker KRI Balikpapan (901), and the non-commissioned training ship, KAL Kadet-1 .

Teluk Penyu , Pati Unus , and Nusa Utara are vessels that have been decommissioned over the past three years, while the rest have been taken out of operational service, and are in the process of being formally retired.