KRI Diponegoro Practice Manuver In The Mediterranean Sea

KRI Diponegoro-365, who is a member of the TNI MTF Task Force Garuda XXVIII-O UNIFIL contingent, practiced maneuvering with warships from four countries in the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon/ANTARA/HO-National Information Service of the Indonesian Navy.

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Navy's warship KRI Diponegoro-365 practiced advanced maneuvers (advance maneuvering exercise) in the Mediterranean Sea, Lebanon, along with other ships that are members of the Maritime Task Force 448 UNIFIL.

The Navy Information Service (Dispenal) explained that the series of exercises lasted for a day, led by the MTF Commander Rear Admiral Dirk Gartner, who is a high-ranking German Navy officer.

The commander of KRI Diponegoro-365, who is also the Commander of the TNI MTF Task Force Garuda XXVIII-O UNIFIL Marine Lieutenant Colonel (P) Wiratstyo Haprabu, said the exercise took place on Thursday (4/4) which was attended by warships from five countries, namely KRI Diponegoro-365 (Indonesia), FGS Baden Wuerttemberg F-222 (Germany), HS Spetsaj F-453 (Yunani), TCG Burgazada F-513 (Turkey), and BNS Sangram F-113 (Bangladesh).

During the exercise, the ships formed formations in several threat simulations, including forming defense formations for attacks from the surface and air.

The exercise aims not only to strengthen relations and coordination between ships on duty with the UN Peacekeeping MTF Task Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), but also to equalize the perception of each troop in a multilateral task force.

This activity is also an opportunity for KRI Diponegoro to exercise with FGS Baden Wuerttemberg F-222 which has completed his duties in Lebanon, and the ship will be replaced by FGS Bradenberg F-123. The German Navy warship will serve in Lebanon for the next six months.

KRI Diponegoro, who is a member of the TNI MTF Task Force Garuda XXVIII/O UNIFIL contingent, has served with UN peacekeepers in Lebanon since early 2024.

The Indonesian Navy warship sailed from Jakarta to Lebanon since the end of 2023 to replace KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368, who previously served in Lebanon with the TNI MTF Task Force for the Garuda XXVIII-N UNIFIL contingent.

The Garuda Maritime Task Force Task Force is one of the tasks in the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, which consists entirely of Indonesian Navy soldiers.

The MTF Task Force in Lebanon is tasked with maintaining peace along the Lebanese and Israeli borders along with other task forces, including the TNI Mechanized Battalion Task Force (INDOBATT), the TNI Headquarters/Force Headquarters Supporter Task Force (FHQSU), the Indo Force Protection Company (FPC) Task Force, the Civil-Military Coordination Task Force / Civilian Military Coordination (CIMIC) TNI, the Military Community Outreach Unit (MCOU) Task Force, and the Level 2 Hospital Task Force.

Most TNI soldiers who are members of UNIFIL operate on land, while the MTF Task Force carries out its duties at sea.

Several tasks carried out by soldiers from the UNIFIL MTF Task Force, including patrolling the waters, along the border, preventing the illegal entry of weapons, and holding training for Lebanese Navy soldiers.