The Scorpène Evolved will be built by Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder, PT PAL Indonesia, in its shipyard complex in Surabaya City East Java, with the support from Naval Group. With a total cost of $2.16 billion, the Submarines should be delivered to the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) within 96 months or eight years of the contract’s effective date.
While the loan agreement that will finance the project is currently being worked on by the Indonesian Ministry of Finance, PT PAL has begun the process of upgrading its submarine production facilities. The upgrade will include constructing a new torpedo and electronic workshop and a new office for its submarine division.
Moreover, on April 18, Norway-based Syncrolift AS formalised a $15 million contract to supply PT PAL with a newly built ship lift and transfer system. PT PAL stated that the system will be 100 metres long and have a lifting capacity of 6,000 tonnes. It will be used for the production as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of submarines.
In addition, according to PT PAL, Indonesian engineers who will be involved in the Scorpène Evolved construction will be trained, certified, and supervised by the Naval Group as well as other relevant parties.
Green Light for SM39 and UUVs?
During the Future Submarine International Seminar & Showcase organised by the Indonesian Submariner Club between May 14 and 15 in Jakarta, Naval Group presented its Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) solution that can be integrated with Indonesia’s future Scorpène. Depending on user needs, the UUVs can carry out various types of missions, including special forces support as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).
MBDA also presented its SM39 B2 Mod 2, the submarine-launched variant of the Exocet missile family, that can be launched from Scorpène’s torpedo tubes.
These presentations suggested that the French Government had approved Indonesia’s potential purchase of the aforementioned systems. On many occasions, including during the seminar, TNI AL officials have conveyed the silent service’s desire for its future submarine fleet to not only rely on torpedoes and onboard sensors.
LIBs Technology & More Submarines
The seminar was attended by TNI AL Chief of Staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, who also came from the submarine corps and once commanded KRI Nanggala (402) which went on eternal patrol in April 2021.
“The Socrpene Evolved is equipped with lithium-ion batteries, enabling it to remain submerged for quite a long time, which is exactly what we need….making the submarine more stealthy” – Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali (May 14, 2024)
Apart from commenting on the ongoing collaboration between Naval Group and PT PAL, during the seminar, Admiral Ali unveiled the navy’s plan to construct more submarine bases across the country and, in the near future, procure interim submarines.
He added that the interim submarines could be sourced from “countries he has visited”. Furthermore, the admiral reiterated that TNI AL needs at least 12 ‘full-size’ submarines to cover Indonesia’s vast maritime territory and pointed out the potential use of smaller or even unmanned submarines.
Admiral Ali also outlined some key requirements for TNI AL’s future submarine fleet; advanced propulsion system, resilient power sources such as lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), air-independent propulsion (AIP), and nuclear, as well as multi-domain warfare capability.
To note, during a recent interview at the Naval Group shipyard in Lorient, Admiral Ali told Naval News that he had visited Saft lithium-ion batteries factory in France.
Additional submarines
Meanwhile, the Director General of Defence Power of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, RADM Bambang Irwanto, underlined the need to focus on LIBs technology as the ministry has selected Scorpène Evolved. RADM Bambang also mentioned that the navy has put forward a proposal to acquire four additional new submarines, with two slated for acquisition between 2025 and 2029 and the other pair between 2035 to 2039.
Naval News understands that France, Germany, Italy, and Turkey are currently the primary contenders to supply these additional submarines.
India’s Involvement?
In recent months, several Indian companies, particularly Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, have expressed interest in participating in PT PAL’s upcoming Scorpène production. With India having received similar local production schemes from Naval Group which allowed it to build six Scorepen/Kalvari-class submarines domestically, Indian defence industry believes it has valuable lessons to offer.
On the other hand, participating in Indonesia’s Scorpène project could provide India with firsthand experience in working with the latest Scorpène variant, especially as there is a plan for New Delhi to buy additional Scorpène. It would also help the Indian shipyard to maintain their know how as all six Kalvari-class submarines have now been produced.
In fact, earlier this month, a number of Indonesian high-ranking defence officials visited Mazagon and other Indian defence companies as part of the 7th India-Indonesia Joint Defence Cooperation Committee meeting.
It will be interesting to see if Indonesia and France accept India’s proposal and if other “Scorpène Club” members -Brazil, Chile, and Malaysia- will make similar offers.
