Indonesian shipyard begins work on new missile-capable ‘president ship'

Indonesian private shipyard PT Karimun Anugrah Sejati (KAS) has begun work on a new guided-missile corvette that will double up as transport for dignitaries such as the Indonesian president.

A ceremony to mark the vessel's “first steel-cutting” and keel-laying was held on 9 June at PT KAS's shipbuilding facilities in Batam, Indonesia, a representative from the company has confirmed with Janes . It will be known as KRI Bung Karno once it is commissioned.

Actual work on the vessel's keel began in March 2022, but the “first steel-cutting” ceremony was held in conjunction with a visit by the Indonesian Navy's Logistics Assistant to the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Puguh Santoso, to the facilities that day, the company said.

An IDR300 billion (USD20.2 million) contract to build the vessel was signed between PT KAS and the Indonesian defence in 2021. It has an overall length of about 73 m and will be powered by two MTU 16V 4000 M71 diesel engines that can propel the vessel to a top speed of 24 kt and a cruising speed of 16 kt.

The corvette's superstructure and overall design is derived from the PC-40-class patrol vessels, several of which have been built by PT KAS for the Indonesian Navy since 2016. The corvette will be equipped with a flight deck, but only for ‘lily pad' helicopter operations as it will not have a hangar.

The contract with PT KAS does not include provisions for weapon systems. However, the vessel has been designed with weight and strength considerations to accommodate a 40 mm naval gun in the primary position, 20 mm guns in the aft section, and launchers for anti-surface missiles amidships.

Bung Karno is scheduled to be launched in 2023, with delivery scheduled for the same year.