He added that representatives from the Naval Group met with the Indonesian Navy to ensure that the submarines were the best the company had made and were from the latest generation of submarines.
"The submarine was in line with our needs. They have provided conveniences and assured us that the Scorpène we bought is not an ordinary Scorpène, but the evolved one, the latest generation," Ali said on Friday.
The submarines will be produced at the PT PAL Indonesia shipyard in Surabaya, East Java.
The head of the public relations bureau of the ministry's Secretariat General, Brigadier General Edwin Adrian Sumantha, said on Thursday that the purchase signing was carried out in Jakarta on March 28.
The purchase contract includes the procurement of two units of Scorpène Evolved full lithium-ion battery (LiB) submarines, simulators for training, training for ship crew, instructors, and simulator operators, integrated logistics support, and materials for three missions or one year.
The ministry, Naval Group, and PT PAL agreed to produce the two submarines in Surabaya as a form of technology transfer, Ali added.
PT PAL Indonesia and Naval Group signed a joint operation agreement on December 12, 2023, and a strategic partnership agreement (SPA) in February 2022.
Scorpène Evolved is one of the submarines with the latest technology that uses lightweight lithium-ion batteries and has a high energy density that helps it to operate longer without power or fuel refills.
The submarine also has stealth capabilities that allow it to go undetected by other ships' radar during underwater operations.
Naval Group, in an official broadcast, called the Scorpène Evolved a versatile submarine that can carry out various operations such as anti-surface ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare, special operations, and underwater intelligence operations.
Scorpène is also equipped with the latest generation SUBTICS combat system, which can answer the needs of shallow and deep-sea operations.
As per the submarine's specifications, it measures 72 meters in length and has a maximum sailing speed of 20 knots when submerged.
It also has a diving capability of up to 300 meters, a maximum diving capability of 80 days, a total capacity of 31 crew, and an operational capability at sea of 240 days per year.
The submarine is also equipped with six weapon launch tubes and can be fitted with 18 missile and torpedo weapons.
The Navy currently has four submarines: KRI Cakra-401, KRI Nagapasa-403, KRI Ardadedali-404, and KRI Alugoro-405. In the projected force posture for 2025–2045, the Navy is targeting having 12 submarines.
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Translator: Genta Tenri M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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