Posted on 01/05/2006 11:57:58 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Indonesia To Buy Warships, Subs From Russia, Germany
January 05, 2006 14:50 PM
JAKARTA, Jan 5 (Bernama) --Indonesia's sea defence capability is likely to get a boost by 2009, as the government explores buying three new warships from Russia worth about US$335 million and several "kilo-class" attack submarines possibly from Germany, the Jakarta Post daily reported Thursday.
A Ministry of Defence team is currently in talks with Russian officials on the best way to buy the warships, which could include a corvette, a destroyer and a frigate.
"We are approaching the Russians to explore the possibility of buying the warships and a sea transport helicopter. I expect that within the next two months there will be a definite outcome on this matter," Ministry of Defence Secretary-General Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin told the daily recently.
He said the total price of the three warships and the helicopter were about the same as the two corvettes Indonesia bought in 2004 from the Netherlands, about US$335 million in total.
The two newly built corvettes are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia in 2007 and 2008, with the Dutch government agreeing to gradually transfer warship-making technology to Indonesia.
Based on the guidance from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the criteria for the purchase should be based partly on a relatively competitive price, but also on high quality, the newspaper said.
"We believe Russia is (a war machine supplier) that meets both these requirements," the daily quoted Sjafrie as saying.
The country is expected to spend about Rp28 trillion (US$2.83 billion) this year on military spending, up from Rp23.3 trillion in 2005. Most of the funds will be used to procure Navy and Air Force equipment.
However, any warship purchases from Russia were unlikely to be made any time soon, because of the government's limited ability to pay, Sjafrie said.
"There will be no massive buy-up of defence equipment and warships this year. Our focus will remain on maintaining and upgrading our war machines. Should there be a deal with Russia, it is unlikely to be realised this year," he said.
According to the paper, the government wants a strong military force to deal with threats at home, such as separatist movements, and also to protect its borders.
The defence budget of the world's fourth-largest country is considered relatively low compared to smaller neighbours like Thailand and Malaysia, it said.
It doesn't help that the Indonesian military's equipment has been steadily deteriorating, partly as a result of the 13-year arms embargo imposed on Indonesia by the United States, which was lifted only in September last year, it said.
That ban came after Indonesian troops and civilian militias committed gross human rights violations in East Timor, the paper added.
Aside from warships, the government was also planning to buy two or three submarines capable of operating in deep waters, the paper said, adding that the first country being considered for the purchase was Germany, considered to be one of the world's best producers of kilo-class submersibles.
"We are planning to buy two or three kilo-class submarines between 2007 and 2009. We haven't decided on the country yet, but our best bet is currently Germany. But due to the budget constraints, we are also looking at other countries," said Sjafrie, refusing to mention a price tag.
Indonesia has only two diesel-powered submarines -- the Cakra and the Nanggala -- for its 3.2 million square kilometres of coastlines and seas. Purchased from Germany in 1981, they are currently being overhauled in South Korea.
--BERNAMA
How dare they!
This is not possible. Maybe Indonesia is buying 3 warships from Germany but never ever 3 Russian kilos. We Germans are producing much better and different stuff although the kilos are not bad. The author probably mixed the items.
BTW - German MEKO corvettes and frigates from Blohm + Voss are a good choice:
What are Indonesia's capabilities here?
We can sell them the capabilities.
:-)
Most of the heavy stuff of the Black Sea Fleet is laid up, unable to put to sea due to insufficient monies for maintenance.
I have visions of Indonesian ships aground or on the bottom because some corrupt politician stole the maintenance money.
As to Blum+Voss products, "We build them good in Germany, Ja Heinie?" - Kurt Jurgens in "The Enemy Below."
Currently not good enough - but good enough that if they wanted to, they could develop them. It's within their abilities.
But, frankly, I think Indonesia, more realistically, should be (and is, in my view) aiming for a greenwater navy, rather than a bluewater one.
Australia - the Royal Australian Navy, specifically - is willing to provide Indonesia with training and, in the short, I would assume maintenance if Indonesia goes this way. Indonesia is trying very hard to become a modern secular (albeit with Islam as a majority faith) democracy. We're hoping they succeed.
Doing some business here? ;-) Feel free to go on!!!
Most of the Indonesian Navy is old/obsolete so it's an open question about maintaience of sophistcated hardware.
OTOH most of the Indonesian Navy is old/obsolete, which means they are pretty good at keeping stuff operating for a long time - so genaral maintainance is probably good, and not apparent problems about the maintainance money disappearing into Switzerland
6 s/h ex-Dutch Frigates (the best ships INdo has - now 38 yrs old - in Indo servise 15-20 years
2 s/h ex UK Frigates -=now 42 yrs old - Indo service 20 yrs
4 s/h ex US Frigates - 46 yrs old - Indo service 32 years.
1 NEW Yugoslav frigate/training ship - now 25 years old
3 NEW Dutch light frigates - now 26 years old
2 NEW S Korean missile boats - also now 26 years old
Plus whatever is in service from when they bought the East German navy in the early 90s - 40+ corvettes, minesweepers, landing ships = most in poor condition when transfereed
The Mekos are great,but I don't think Indonesia needs them.The Dutch are building a couple of corvettes for them.Buying from a more varied source(non-US/EU) is smarter politically as well as economically.The Russians have a new class of stealthy missile corvettes called the Type-20380(??) armed with upto vertically launched Yakhont/Brahmos supersonic anti-ship missiles.The Brahmos fits in perfectly with increased Indonesian cooperation with India.Moreover in recent years,the Russians have allowed foreign suppliers like Italy,France,the Netherlands & South Africa to provide add-ons for their export items to countries like Greece,Malaysia & India,improving quality with only marginal cost increases.
The German Type-212/214 class is the best D/E class around,but also very much on the expensive side when compared to the Kilo.The Russians have improved the Kilo with more modern sonars as well as the new stand-off Klub cruise missiles,which is better than the Harpoons & Exocets found in their region.
Indonesia started building up a pretty decent military support industrial base in the Suharto years,license building German torpedoes,Spanish MPA aircraft & other aerospace items.If their economy didn't nosedive & with some political stability,they would be close to the sophistication that Singapore has achieved.
Kilos are buit by Russia. Germany exports the U-212/214 subs.
Big deal. Canada -- with the world's longest coast -- has four subs, all of which are inoperable.
They can afford it now, what with all that tsunami aid they've been getting.
Besides, what the hell do they need Kilo class submarines for? Who the hell is threatening them?
If they are smart they'll sink those old russian boats and use them as artificial reefs in preparation for the next tsunami.
Well,they have more than a couple of island disputes to worry about-with their neighbours & with the PRC.Given their big oil & natural gas reserves having a handful of subs is not a bad idea.
what about the old NVA ships ... are there any kilos left ?
I believe that East Germany had 2 or 3 877EM Kilos. These be became property of the Federal Republic of Germany after the country unified.
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