Indonesia Can Build Submarines, But Why Is The South Korean Servicing Nanggala-402?

JAKARTA - The system of maintenance, repair and inspection or "maintenance, repair, overhaul" (MRO) has been in the spotlight after the tragedy of the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine wreck. In terms of the production of the main weapon system (Alutsista), the domestic industry is already capable. The proof, recently the state-owned company PT PAL Indonesia succeeded in creating a submarine. So why does the KRI Nanggala 402 still have to be repaired in South Korea?

March 17th is a proud moment for Indonesia. Because that day the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) had completed the construction of the first submarine made by the national company PT PAL Indonesia. The submarine was named Alugoro-405. This makes Indonesia the only country in Southeast Asia capable of building submarines.

During the handover procession, Defense Minister Prabowo Subiantor called this a historical milestone in which for the first time an Indonesian national company succeeded in participating in submarine production. "We realize together how important our defense is. We are building our defense capabilities," Prabowo said as quoted by the Ministry of Defense's official website.

Through strategic planning regarding the modernization of defense equipment, Prabowo under the command of President Jokowi has ordered the entire domestic defense industry to participate in the process of rejuvenating all state defense equipment. He also explained that many of the defense tools were very old and it was time to be rejuvenated. For this reason, the role of the defense industry will be very prominent.

"We hope for the participation, initiative, hard work of our technologists, our scholars, our scholars, from our experts. We hope all will unite to work hard, ”he said.

PT PAL Indonesia is a state-owned company that focuses on developing the national maritime industry. As quoted on the official website, one of the missions of this company is to build, maintain and provide engineering services for upper and subsurface ships "as well as engineering procurement and construction in the energy sector."

Not only submarines, PT PAL Indonesia also has the capability to build warships and commercial ships. Some of the products that have been controlled include: FPB 28 M ship, FPB 38 M Aluminum ship, 105 M Kawal Rudal destroyer (PKR), and the Nagapasa Class 1500 ton submarine.

Yesterday, the submarine KRI Nanggala 402 reportedly sank in the waters north of Bali Island at a depth of 838 meters below sea level. The condition of the submarine's worthiness is also in the spotlight.

As is known, this Indonesian-owned ship is 42 years old. The age of this submarine, according to military observers, Connie Rahakundini Bakrie, is far from ideal.

"Even though this type of ship is a ship with a million people, everybody uses, even people who already have Nuclear Submarine still use this ship. Because this ship is really great. But normal countries use it in 25-30 years," he said, in a virtual discussion, Sunday, 25. April.

Even so, according to him, if the ship's maintenance was carried out properly, the old age of defense equipment would not be a problem. "Indonesia has been so good for 40 years. But that doesn't mean we have to wait 50-60 years before we want to change ships," he said.

Former Head of the Strategic Intelligence Agency (Kabais) TNI Laksda (Purn) Soleman Ponto said the KRI Nanggala 402, which has entered the age of 42, is not a problem as long as its maintenance is carried out properly. The good maintenance, said Ponto, touches on checking critical spare parts. These spare parts must be replaced if there is damage.

The KRI Nanggala-402 was actually overhauled in Daewoo, South Korea, in 2012. The overhaul was carried out for 24 months. The question is, when currently the national industry is able to build its own submarines, why are repairs still being done in South Korea?

Indeed, PT Pal Indonesia has succeeded in building its first submarine, Alugoro-405. However, it was only realized earlier this year. And it can happen thanks to the collaboration with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), a submarine building company from South Korea.

There is a long process of technology transfer there. While in the same year the Nanggala 402 was repaired in South Korea, in 2012, Indonesia just issued Law Number 16 of 2012 concerning the Defense Industry. The policy foundations for the modernization of defense equipment and the national defense industry have just begun.

As explained by Democratic Party politician, Rachland Nashidik, in 2014 Indonesia had only fulfilled the purchase agreement for three submarines from South Korea with technology transfer. The result, "In 2017 Indonesia had KRI Nagapasa (403), the first submarine of the agreement. In 2018, KRI Ardadedali (404) sailed the Indonesian oceans. This is the second submarine in the agreement, which was made by South Korean Engineers and Indonesian Engineers, to initiate technology transfer. "

In 2014, after the policy foundations for modernization of defense equipment and the national defense industry were enforced, in 2014 Indonesia fulfilled an agreement to purchase 3 submarines from South Korea with technology transfer. That is two years faster than the target of Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono.

- Rachland Nashidik (@RachlanNashidik) February 18, 2021

And the culmination is the establishment of the submarine KRI Alugoro (405). "This is the first submarine made entirely by Indonesian engineers," he said.

Now, PT PAL Indonesia, as quoted on its official website, has indeed provided services for repair and maintenance of ships including submarines. "The services provided are annual / special surveys and overhauls for warships and merchant ships, maintenance and repair of electronics and weapons, as well as submarine overhauls," he wrote.

Even so, the military observer, Connie Rahakundini Bakrie MRO of Indonesia's maritime defense equipment is still difficult to say is good. In fact, this check is the spearhead of a country's defense system.

"Alutsista can be really good, the crew can be really good, the TNI is well known for being sophisticated. But MRO is the determinant, when this MRO person is not really good, the audit order is not good, the audit is not good, the qc is not good, the end of the history. Why? Now this is a lot of KW stuff, "Connie said.

* Read other information about KRI NANGGALA-402 or read other interesting articles from Ramdan Febrian.