Indonesia To Produce 30 Nirawak Submarines

The unmanned artificial intelligence (AI) submarine (KSOT) was displayed on the TNI's 80th Anniversary in Jakarta on October 5, 2025. BETWEEN/HO-PT PAL

JAKARTA - Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin emphasized that Indonesia will immediately produce 30 units of autonomous submarines (KSOT) or unmanned to maintain the choke point (small points) spread throughout Indonesian waters.

"Earlier, I, the TNI commander, the chief of staff of the Indonesian Navy, and the director of PT PAL (Surabaya) have held a technical evaluation and we conclude that the Ministry of Defense reported to the President and as the determinant of the strategic weaponry from the TNI, we need 30 units of autonomous submarines," said the Minister of Defense to the press on the deck of H KRI dr Soeharso-990 at the Indonesian Navy Fleet II Command Pier, Surabaya, Thursday, October 30, reported by ANTARA.

He did not reveal the dislocation of the autonomous submarines at all, except the presence of a fleet of unmanned weapons within the Indonesian Navy organization is a strength in itself for Indonesia.

Sjafrie together with a number of top officials from the Ministry of Defense and the TNI witnessed a test launch of the training torpedo from the autonomous submarine launcher slot, which was sailed in front of the dock.

This autonomous submarine is physically mini-sized without a human crew, driven by electric propulsion motors with a navigation system while using internet signals.

Until the current development stage, the autonomous submarine with hull number KSOT-008 is not targeted to be able to launch a torpedo head-nucleon, but only limited to being able to launch a torpedo which is also driven by an electric motor.

In the demonstration of the simulation of the launch of the training torpedo, the group was given an explanation from PT PAL Surabaya officials, who were given the task of the state to design, develop, and produce the autonomous submarine.

On the sidelines of a simulation demonstration of the launch of the training torpedo installed outside the submarine's body, the Defense Minister received a telephone call from President Prabowo Subianto, who advised that the activity must be successful.

He specifically requested that there be a thorough evaluation immediately so that the production of the autonomous submarine can be realized immediately and hopes that next year there will be additional strengthening of the autonomous submarine fleet throughout Indonesian waters.

By operating the autonomous submarine, said the Minister of Defense, many benefits can be achieved.

"We can achieve the efficiency of personnel, materials, and time. We are the fourth country in the world to produce autonomous submarines after the United States, Russia, China, and Indonesia," he said.