The latest $ 1.1 billion contract for three Type-209/1400 diesel-electric submarines looks set to breathe new life into the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut or TNI-AL). It represents the third major TNI-AL purchase after the acquisition of new corvettes and landing ships since 2000 and has also been described as a move to “maintain power balance in the region,” prompting various analysts to attribute the purchase to Jakarta’s attempt to play regional submarine “catch-up.”
For more than three decades, TNI-AL operated two German-built Type-209 submarines. However, many deem them insufficient for Indonesia’s wide array of maritime security needs given its vast archipelagic expanse.
As far as the TNI-AL is concerned, the minimum required capabilities are circumscribed by the Defense Strategic Plan 2024, which called for at least 10 submarines. Even back during the early Cold War years, the TNI-AL’s fleet of Soviet-supplied Whiskey-class submarines were barely sufficient. Assuming mandated needs for routine maintenance and training cycles, only one Type-209 boat is available at all times. This submarine force will most likely be stretched to its limits in times of crisis.
Still, the pair of submarines does offer a modicum of “fleet-in-being” deterrent against potential foes considering decades of experience gleaned by TNI-AL’s submarine crews and their familiarity with the Indonesian archipelagic environment, which will certainly be exploited to maximize the deterrent effects of this tiny force. It isn’t presumptuous to assume that the two Type-209s have already completed a major portion of their useful operational lifespan notwithstanding recent refurbishment. The new submarines may partially replace and eventually substitute the existing pair, thus leaving the TNI-AL with only three operational boats by end of 2025.
Such a force is still small and barely sufficient for Indonesia’s needs. In contrast, Vietnam, also with a significant coastal geography, will be able to muster six submarines once its Russian-built Kilo Project-636 boats become operational before 2020. Singapore, with a considerably smaller coast to cover, will probably muster four submarines assuming that the ageing ex-Swedish Sjöormen-class is retired and then supplanted by the newly-inducted Västergotlands.
From a technical perspective, the newly-acquired Type-209/1400s were far from what an earlier TNI-AL chief once promised back in 2009, namely to be “more superior” to those possessed by neighboring navies. Even though they sold the Type-209 to Indonesia, the South Koreans no longer rely on this class, which is now gradually being supplanted by the more advanced Sohn Won-Il class (Project KSS-2) which is a modified German Type-214 variant. Therefore, the Type-209/1400 represents little incremental capability over existing Type-209 models.
Moreover, the new boats aren’t known to be equipped with “breakthrough” capabilities that may otherwise tip the balance of naval power in Southeast Asia. For instance, there’s no provision known for air-independent propulsion that can prolong endurance underwater as in the case with Singapore’s Västergotlands. Even if TNI-AL’s new boats can utilize submerged-launch anti-ship cruise missiles, this capability is not new, given that Malaysia’s Scorpene-class submarines are already outfitted with the SM-39 Exocet. The Vietnamese Kilos, meanwhile, are reported to be armed with Russian-designed Klub-S missiles.
In sum, quantitatively and qualitatively, TNI-AL’s newest submarine purchase may not significantly affect the regional balance of naval power. However, this acquisition reflects an unprecedented expansion of the regional submarine inventory. From a maritime security and safety point of view, this still warrants concern.
On the one hand, the confined Southeast Asian maritime geography – characterized by semi- enclosed and narrow water-bodies – makes for excellent submarine operations (though it’s a headache for anti-submarine hunters). On the other hand, this provides an ideal recipe for potential incidents, inadvertent or otherwise. Virtually all submarines operated by regional navies are equipped with signal intelligence capabilities and this amplifies the risk of naval incidents at sea with potential security ramifications. This is especially so given sensitivities over longstanding maritime-related disputes.
Moreover, regional submarine rescue capacity is far from adequate considering the numbers of submarines in or about to enter service. To date, only Singapore can muster a full-fledged submarine rescue capability in the form of the Swift Rescue submarine rescue vessel and its DSAR-6 submersible. Currently, the Malaysian and Indonesian navies don’t possess equivalent capabilities and their ongoing modernization programs don’t appear to include the acquisition of such.
By comparison, most Northeast Asian submarine operators possess relatively significant submarine emergency response capabilities. Japan, for instance, possesses dedicated, specialized capabilities for complex submarine rescue operations. Even the antiquated North Korean Navy possesses a Kowan-class catamaran-hulled rescue ship equipped with a rudimentary diving bell for its force of over 20 operational combat submarines.
Southeast Asian countries can leverage an earlier agreement from late last year to bolster regional naval cooperation by considering collective submarine emergency response capacity-building. Given the operational sensitivities of national submarine activities, confidence-building measures such as zonal restrictions on submarine operations aren’t likely to materialize. However, collaboration in submarine emergency response offers an alternative avenue. In this regard, Singapore can play a leading role in planting the seed for such a capacity in Southeast Asia.
One way to do so is to pool submarine emergency response capacity and devise regional protocols to deal with contingencies related to submarine incidents. However, no regional cooperation can wholly substitute capacity-building at the national level. Existing submarine operators and aspirants should ensure that such capacity is prudently developed in parallel with the introduction of submarine capabilities. As it stands, while Southeast Asian navies are busily seeking an underwater combat capability, most if not all of them appear to have neglected this crucial issue.
Koh Swee Lean Collin is an associate research fellow in the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, a constituent unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
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yang zi
Indonesia is finally getting some deserved attention.
I’ve said many times that Indonesia is very important both in south west pacific and Indian Ocean. two capabilities will elevate its strategic importance greatly, one is submarines, the other is anti-ship missiles. It deserves these weapons because it is an archipelago nation.
The key for Indonesia is to keep its independence. an equal distance between US and China is very wise. It is a good thing that Indonesia rises.
enigma
FYI, the main reasons why indonesia buys 209: i) korea is the only country that provide subs TOT to indonesia. Russia, germany and france just want to sell it without TOT. first subs build by koreans, and indonesian as observer, 2nd subs indonesian and korean engineer cooperate to build it, 3rd subs build in indonesia by indonesia enginer with korea supervisor. ii) and yes the subs that indonesia order are 209 but its equipped with 214 technology iii) indonesia has an ambition to make its own subs, that’s why indonesia need tot.
John Chan
@enigma,
Indonesia wanting to create jobs via the submarine program is a more acceptable explanation than Indonesia having ambition to make its own subs. Assembling a submarine can lead to making submarine by itself, man, you are just too naïve. The most likely scenario is that Indonesia needs to import every item for the submarine. Whether Korean can supply half of the components the submarine needs is questionable.
Jenny Park
Whatever we do, we do much better than the Chinese for sure. So stop your nonsense about the Korean capability. Don’t make yourself a fool in the eyes of the Diplomat readers!
yang zi
You of course have done better, N Korea is even better, it sank one of your ships, according to S Korea.
S Korea has many ethno fascists, it deserved to forever occupied by US.
John Chan
@Jenny Park,
Due to its limited size there is only so much Korean can do. Korea and Japan have to accept that they only can play supplementary role in Asia. That’s what history has illustrated. Boasting Korea can out-do China in all aspects is unrealistic and pure fantasy. The way for Korean to compete against China is to follow the Japanese, that is to focus in a very narrow selected fields then try to excel in those fields.
BTW Korean products are not known for competing on quality in North America.
Marcellus
Remember how the Soviets lost the cold war?The USA encouraged it to run an arm race that broke it’s ecnoomy!China should encourages the USA to compete in an arm race which will see a broke USA even broker!As it is, it do not have any monies left for basic infrastructures maintenance or for their pensioners.Pride in it’s military might will see to it’s own demise.The real competition is to be the preeminent trading and exporting nation and the USA is a lame duck.Very soon it will imploded just like the Soviets.
enigma
maybe, its naive if you just see the condition right now, thats why i called it ambition, but you have to look back, what indonesia do with their weapon indusry before, ex: tot of france vab –> panser anoa, copied and modification of UK scorpion tank –> medium tank (still prototype right now), coorporate between indonesian and spain aircraft industry –> cn 235, used by malaysia, brunei, korea, ect., fn riffle –> many varians of SS1 and SS2 riffle, tot of korean lpd –> korea makes 2 lpd in korea, indonesia makes 2 lpd in indonesia on korea supervision. what i’m going to say is; yes it was difficult for indonesia to start build its own subs right now, and according on the indonesia military chief, at least it takes 20 years R&D to make an a brand new type of subs, its too long, too much money and resources to spend for indonesia, thats why to speed up or jump to higher level of R&D, tot absolutely necessary, i dont tell that indonesia will produce all item by itself, but at least indonesia can start produce some parts by local content. hopefully,by indonesian, the anoa,cn 235, ss2 ect. experience could be happen to indonesia subs ambition. regardless of various reason, weapon tot, modification and start produce some item by indonesia itself, are still good decision than buying with knowing nothing.
RodL
The comments here about Indonesian naval submarine capabilities, – former, current and future – are better premised around Indonesia developing a core capability that can be grown in a time of likely tension or conflict. Indonesia straddles the waterways that link the South China Sea, the southern Pacific and the Indian Oceans. Some 70% of the world’s waterborne trade traverses those waterways, so one does not need to be a strategic expert to recognize Indonesia’s desire to have control over those important straits, despite its obligations with the Law of the Sea and freedom of passage.
That Indonesia may have few submarines to commit to patrolling the straits is not that relevant so long as other nations are aware that there are Indonesian submarines monitoring and potentially controlling their maritime access. Just as Iran is endeavouring to exert some control of maritime traffic through the Hormuz Strait, Indonesia could just as easily do likewise. That will only be on the premise that it has the support of one of the major naval powers (more than likely to be the US).
So, it is foreseeable that Indonesia will at some stage increase its fleet of submarines. Economic necessity, along with support of a large-power supporter, will have Indonesia buying off-the-shelf submarines. More bang for the buck. The proponents of job-building local construction would lose the argument simply based on Indonesia’s lack of a broad skills base for building the sophisticated boats. Indonesia’s bigger focus will be on developing and building up several skilled submarine crews – a more important issue.
Submarines represent a significant force multiplier as well as an effective deterrent in an period of tension or conflict. Expect to see boat numbers rise in the near future.
Subho
@enigma
you said:
korea is the only country that provide subs TOT to indonesia
but type-209 and type-214 are german submarines.how can korea provide tot of type-209 to indonesia???you must say its germany who provide tot to indonesia.
enigma
@subho
The South Korean Chang Bogo class submarines, originally based on Type 209/1200, had reportedly been heavily upgraded from a time early in the 21st century,[13] which if properly undertaken was supposed to include domestic hull stretch augmentation from 1,200 tons to 1,400 tons, and installment of domestically developed Torpedo Acoustic Counter Measures (TACM).These upgrades could have been affected due to Korean economic problems of the late 1990s, which affected other plans to acquire nine 1,500-ton AIP-equipped boats or upgrade six 1200 boats to 1,500-tons AIP-equipped boats. However, outfitting the submarines with sub-Harpoon launching capability was a part of the upgrade,[14] and this seems to have been properly carried out by 2002 on at least one sumbarine. By 2007, Na Daeyong and Lee Eokgi were demonstrated to have the capability. By 2009 it was reported that nine South Korean-modified 1,400-ton Type 209 submarines were in service with the ROKN.[20][21] As of 2011 they were reported to be 1,200-ton Type 209 submarines. They can equip the White Shark heavy torpedo, and can possibly equip submarine-launched Hae Sung anti-ship missiles later on. AIP and flank-array sonars are planned for future modernizations.[23] This class is being marketed independently by Korea to Indonesia as 1,400-ton Chang Bogo class submarines for export. Initially the offered submarines were going to be in-service ROKN submarines.
Between 2004 and 2005, the Indonesian Type 209/1300 submarine Cakra underwent a refurbishment by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea. The refurbished submarine featured new batteries, overhauled engines, and modernized combat system.[38] In 2009, Daewoo won another order to refurbish Nanggala, which will be completed by July 2011. Daewoo is additionally offering to construct three modified 1,400-ton Chang Bogo class Type 209 for Indonesia. The deal is reported to be valued at $1.1 billion. The sale will be done without the involvement of German companies. South Korea is currently the only country outside of Germany independently offering the Type 209 for sale. Indonesia is also being offered two license built Type 209 submarines manufactured by a group of Turkish (SSM – Undersecretariat for Defense Industries) and German companies (HDW/ThyssenKrupp), a deal reported to be valued at $1 billion.[42] SSM has also offered the leases of Type 209 submarines until new submarines could be completed.
In December 2011, DSME won the order to build Indonesia three 1400-ton Chang Bogo class submarines for $1.07 billion.[43] Construction of the submarines will start in January 2012 for delivery by 2015 and 2016, for commissioning in the first half of 2018. They’ll be equipped with guided missiles. The submarines are described to be Korea’s original model, the Chang Bogo class, bigger and more advanced than Indonesia’s Type 209/1300 submarines. — taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_209_submarine
enigma
@subho
yes subho, 209 is originally made by germany, in korea it called chang bogo, i think you’ll understand with the explanation that i posted before….
John Chan
You mean Indonesia is buying fake submarines from Korean who has been stealing and copying from German, they are the IP violators?
John Chan
Most people mistook assemble locally as TOT (Transfer of Technology).
enigma
@jhon
i assume that you dont read the explanation clearly. IMO, korea can make the 209/changbogo class by lisence from germany, then modified and produce by itself independently.
“Daewoo is additionally offering to construct three modified 1,400-ton Chang Bogo class Type 209 for Indonesia. The deal is reported to be valued at $1.1 billion. The sale will be done without the involvement of German companies. South Korea is currently the only country outside of Germany independently offering the Type 209 for sale. Indonesia is also being offered two license built Type 209 submarines manufactured by a group of Turkish (SSM – Undersecretariat for Defense Industries) and German companies (HDW/ThyssenKrupp), a deal reported to be valued at $1 billion.[42] SSM has also offered the leases of Type 209 submarines until new submarines could be completed.”
enigma
@john
assemble locally is a first step of TOT john… of course there are many level of challenge that must be taken until a country can produce the weapon by itself.
Asean United
A strong Indonesia translates to a stronger Asean . Independent foreign policy and self-reliance is a must for a stronger Asean. It will contribute and anchor a more stable Asia Pacific region and deter ambitious and hegemonizing countries to control the seas around Southeast Asia.
Hien Nguyen
All SEA countries should learn and build their own subs, navies to protect their water to avoid the intruder such as China. Remember no matter how big guy like Hercules, he had a weakness point. Being together we can find those points to knock it down. As long China respects the other small countries in harmonies which are fair enough to live side by side. Otherwise today the fish (China) eats the ants tomorrow the ants (SEA) eat the fish.
China only needs to create war to please their masters egos and calm their citizens who lost their lands to their officers but not many Chinese citizens for the war. China can not produce enough “foods” for its own people. China has to think twice to go this round. Unless, China is rich enough to build navy ship to protect it supply and transport ships. The empty drum beat louder than the solid one.
John Chan
@Hien Nguyen,
Yes Vietnam should learn and build its own subs, but what is stopping Vietnam to do so? Corruption, incompetence, or simply too much hot air?
You better pray China can produce enough food for itself, otherwise Vietnam government will cut the rice ration to the Vietnamese and sell the rice to China for cash so that they can deposit into their foreign bank accounts and buy more luxury goods for their families living in France.
ramses
John Chan, is China that afraid of ASEAN? No need to compare the technology capability of South Korea with China. The whole world know the winner.