Indonesia officially began the physical construction of its first Scorpène Evolved submarine on 7 August, with a first steel-cutting ceremony at PT PAL Indonesia’s shipyard in Surabaya City, East Java. The submarine is expected to be delivered in 2032.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials from the Indonesian Navy, PT PAL, Naval Group, and Indonesian companies that will participate in the program.
Local Submarine Building Capability
PT PAL CEO, Kaharuddin Djenod, said the program was not merely about constructing two submarines. He explained that it is also intended to build Indonesia’s strategic capability to master submarine technology that will allow the country to eventually design and build its own next-generation submarines.
Meanwhile, Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, highlighted the significance of conducting the entire construction process in Indonesia. He said Indonesia is the only country in Southeast Asia capable of building a submarine domestically.
He also emphasized that Indonesia must continue developing its indigenous defence industry so it can produce more warships, submarines, and other major platforms domestically.
To note, PT PAL previously assembled the third Nagapasa-class submarine, KRI Alugoro (405), with support from South Korea’s DSME (now Hanwha Ocean), but the Scorpène program involves a significantly broader scope of local construction, technology transfer, and supply chain.
Scope of Technology Transfer & Timeline
According to PT PAL, the transfer of technology (ToT) agreement with Naval Group covers hull outfitting, mechanical and machinery installation, electrical systems integration, and weapons system assembly. The company also confirmed that both harbor acceptance tests (HAT) and sea acceptance trials (SAT) for the two Scorpène Evolved submarines will take place at its facilities in Surabaya.
As previously reported by Naval News, the first submarine is set to be delivered to the Indonesian Navy in 2032. Meanwhile, construction of the second submarine is expected to begin in 2027, with delivery scheduled for 2033. However, PT PAL indicated that delivery timelines could be accelerated if construction progresses ahead of schedule.
