Indonesia's 22m long mini-concept-submarine was on show at the Indo Defence 2016 Exhibition (Jakarta). Given a mini-sub's range-endurance limitations it might be used to keep an eye on Southeast Asian neighbours, East Timor or to monitor encroaching Chinese vessels in the South China Sea. (Photo courtesy IHS Janes 3 Nov 2016).
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Drawing from two IHS Janes 3 Nov 2016 reports (hereand here):Indonesia indicated at the Indo Defence 2016 Exhibition (Jakarta) that its Ministry of Defence and shipbuilder PT Palindo Marine may want to assemble a 22m concept mini-submarine in years to come. The mini-sub would be used for missions in the littorals, eg. near in-shore surveillance and special forces delivery [targeting Southeast Asia neighbours, East Timor, even monitoring northern Australia, comes to mind].
The proposers envisage a mini-sub with:
- "22m" [perhaps 25m if it conforms with South Korean experience]
- beam - 3m,
- max operating depth - 150m,
- endurance – 6 days [probably about 1,500nm]
- crew – 5 + 9 [Special Forces or 3 operators for round-the-clock use of one workstation for
Electronic Monitoring possible],
- max speed - 10kt (submerged),
- no internal torpedos or missiles [option of strap-on 400mm-533mm torpedos is possible later] also
[ejected or diver delivered mini-mines or charges possible].
The German TKMS designed Type 200 mini-sub concept. TKMS's regional submarine licensee South Korea's DSME could (further) design/develop and deliver the parts to Indonesia for assembly. (Drawings courtesy Turkish Navy Shipbucket).
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COMMENT
It is inevitable that Indonesia would not start from "scratch" nor "reinvent the wheel" in developing a mini-sub. In the high tech field of submarines utilising current contacts and designs is economically essential.
It immediately occurred to me that Indonesia’s replacement submarine supplier South Korea (supplying 2 Chang Bogo Type 209s) is also a past, present and future user and designer of mini-subs. Indonesia may well be contemplating assembling German/South Korean concept subs which just happen to be in the 20 to 25 meter (long) class.
South Korea's mini-sub experience includes its former use of the (175 tonne, 25m) Dolgorae class - see http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/philippines-increasing-interested-in.html .
South Korea could develop the German TKMS Type 200 concept. This is 25m long - see
http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/south-korean-hhis-hds-400-small.html. More specifically South Korea's DSME (being a TKMS licensee in the Asia-Pacic) could well (further) design/develop and deliver the parts to Indonesia for assembly (perhaps at PT Palindo Marine or PT Pal). The South Korean advisers already at PT Pal (for Indonesia's third Chand Bogo) could well work part-time assisting with the assembly of the "Indonesian" mini-sub, in years to come.
Pete