KRI Rigel, Indonesian Navy Sophisticated Ship Deployed In Search For KRI Nanggala-402

Kri Rigel (Sumber: Commons Wikimedia)

JAKARTA - The search for KRI Nanggala-402, which has lost contact since Wednesday afternoon, April 21 continues. Five KRIs and one helicopter were involved in the search. One of them, the KRI Rigel, the ship that was also deployed during the Sriwijaya Air SAR operation. Not without reason, KRI Rigel has sophisticated specifications to support this kind of operation.

KRI Rigel 933 had moved earlier to the point where KRI Nanggala-402 was reported missing. Before the search for the KRI Nanggala-402, the KRI Rigel 933 was also sent to the waters around Laki Island and Lancang Island, Thousand Islands in the Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 SAR operation.

Offers of assistance also came from several neighboring countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore, and several other countries from mainland Europe and America. "A search operation with a personnel strength of 400 people", said Head of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Achmad Riad at the I Gusti Ngurah Rai Air Force Base Ops, Bali, Thursday, April 22.

Before contact was lost, KRI Nanggala-402 asked for permission to dive in Bali waters at 03.00 WIB. It is planned that the submarine will carry out firing for a training rehearsal. However, the KRI Nanggala-402 lost contact.

KRI Nanggala-402 (Source: Antara)

The search was carried out using active sonar around the dive site of KRI Nanggala-402. But to no avail. Meanwhile, at 07.00 WIB, the search was carried out by air. Oil spills were seen around the dive point of KRI Nanggala-402.

"There was an oil spill around the submerged area, the possibility of damage to the fuel tank (cracking) due to seawater pressure or the provision of a position signal from KRI NGL-402", said Head of the Indonesian Navy's Information Service Julius Widjojono.

KRI Rigel specifications for SAR operations

KRI Rigel is a ship that has the specific ability to take three-dimensional images under the sea. KRI Rigel can be used to capture various images around the SAR search location or fully covered.

To perform full covered depth detection, KRI Rigel will use Multibeam Echosounder EM2040 and Side Scan Sonar. KRI Rigel is a ship used by the Indonesian Navy to provide hydro-oceanographic data or marine maps for navigation.

KRI Rigel is said to be the most advanced underwater survey vessel in Asia for the Type of Assisted Hydro-Oceanography (BHO). According to records, KRI Rigel was brought in in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense with OCEA France.

Apart from being a survey vessel, the KRI Rigel 933 can also be used for military operations. KRI Rigel has submachine weapons caliber 20 millimeters and caliber 12.7 millimeters.

KRI Rigel (Source: Commons Wikimedia)

Also, KRI Rigel is qualified in SAR activities, as today it was sent to search for Sriwijaya Air SJ 182. Specifically, KRI Rigel is a Multi-Purpose Research Vessel type.

Regarding underwater imaging, KRI Rigel is equipped with Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) equipment. This equipment serves for underwater imaging activities up to a depth of one thousand meters. With this technology, KRI Rigel can also periodically send data back to the main ship, in this case, is BHO ship.

KRI Rigel is also equipped with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Laser Scanner - to take pictures of the land, Side Scan Sonar, Automatic Weather Station, as well as an Echosounder Multibeam deep sea and Singlebeam, to Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) equipment, and Gravity Cores.

Physically, KRI Rigel is made of aluminum and weighs 560 tons. KRI Rigel has a length of 60.1 meters and a width of 11.5 meters.

* Read other information about KRI Nanggala-402 or read other interesting writings from Wardhany Tsa Tsia.

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