KSAL Ensures Submarine KRI Nanggala-402 Is Ready To Fight Even Though It Is Old

DOK ANTARA/ Chief of Staff of the Navy (KSAL) Admiral Yudo Margono

JAKARTA - The Chief of Naval Staff (KSAL) Admiral Yudo Margono confirmed that the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine that was lost in Bali waters was fit for use even though it was old. Moreover, this submarine has received an eligibility letter from the Navy's Materiel Feasibility Service.

"The Nanggala-402 submarine is ready, both personnel and material. The personnel are complete, the material has already received the Dislaikmatal eligibility letter," Yudo said in a press conference broadcast on YouTube Puspen TNI, Thursday, April 22.

He said that this ship was built in Germany in 1977 and received by the Indonesian Navy in 1981. So far, the Nanggala-402 has a history of firing 15 torpedo head exercises and twice firing the war head torpedoes.

"So the KRI Nanggala is ready for combat, so we send it, we involve it to fire the torpedo of the head of training and the head of war," he said.

Adding to the KSAL statement, TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said the eligibility letter issued by Dislaikmatal was still valid until March 25, 2022.

"So it is still feasible to carry out operational activities," he said.

KRI Nanggala-402 previously requested permission to dive in Bali waters at 03.00 WITA, Wednesday, April 21. It is planned that the submarine will carry out firing for a training rehearsal. However, the KRI Nanggala-402, which brought these 53 people, then lost contact.

The search was carried out using active sonar in the vicinity of the KRI Nanggala-402 dive. But to no avail. Meanwhile, at 07.00 WITA, the search was carried out by air. An oil spill was seen at the location of the KRI Nanggala-402 diving.