2 Mine Hunting Vessels Received By Koarmada II Next Week

JAKARTA - Commander of Fleet Command Vice Admiral TNI Heru Kusmanto revealed that the Second Military Command is scheduled to receive two new mine hunting vessels on August 14.

Two new warships with the names KRI Pulau Fani-731 and KRI Pulau Fanildo-732 have arrived in Surabaya, East Java, since July 2023 after sailing from their place of manufacture at the Abeking & Resmussen Galan, Lamwerder-Bremen, Germany.

"God willing, KRI Fani Island and KRI Fanildo Island will be handed over on Monday (14/8) from the Ministry of Defense to Mr. Kasal (Head of Staff of the Indonesian Navy) and directly to Koarmada II. We will optimize this use formine hunters (miners, ed.) which are currently (KRI) Rupat Island and (KRI) Rengat Island, which is quite old," Pangkoarmada told reporters at the Koarmada RI Headquarters, Jakarta. reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, August 9.

Herru said the handover of the two ships was scheduled to take place in Surabaya, East Java.

The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy, Admiral TNI Muhammad Ali, in early July said that the two mine-seeking vessels (mine counter measure vehicles) would be stationed in Koarmada II.

Then, the ship in Koarmada II which serves as a mine sweeper will be dispersed or diverted to another Fleet. "Maybe it will be dispersed (transferred) to another Fleet because in the context of uniforming and equalizing the fleets," said Muhammad Ali.

Admiral Ali on May 31 explained that the two new mine-seeking vessels are equipped with various cutting-edge technologies, including materials that use non-magnetic steel, degaussian systems, and electric motor propulsion that can reduce noise.

"So this technology is quite contemporary and is a fairly sophisticated mine hunting ship, where the material is from a non-magnetic steel. So, the material is steel but does not have a magnetic field," said Kasal.

The delivery ceremony of two ships named KRI Pulau Fani-731 and KRI Pulau Fanildo-732 took place on May 26, 2023 at the Abeking & Resmussen Association, Lamwerder-Bremen, Germany.

The Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy directly led the delivery ceremony of the two Indonesian Navy mine-seeking vessels.

Along with ship shipments, the Indonesian Navy also sent a total of eight personnel to Germany to take part in training on mine hunting vessels. The personnel sent attended 39 days of training in Germany.