Indonesia purchases two submarines from the state-owned French Naval Group to be constructed domestically. This comes after recent defence contracts with French businesses, which included the 2022 purchase of 42 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft.
The 18 torpedoes and missile-capable diesel-electric Scorpenes will be constructed at the PT PAL shipyard in Indonesia. Technology transfer is part of the agreement, and Indonesians will handle management and maintenance, producing a large number of skilled jobs.
The CEO of the military group, Pierre Eric Pommellet, applauds the collaboration and highlights that the submarines support Indonesia’s military power and maritime sovereignty.
The 72-metre-long Scorpene, which can dive 300 metres and support a crew of 31 sailors for more than 12 days, is a testament to Indonesia’s desire to become a leader in submarine technology.
This decision fits in with France’s attempts to fortify relations in the Asia-Pacific following the repercussions of the Australian submarine agreement, in which Canberra chose to use nuclear-powered technology from the United States and Great Britain, upsetting Paris. France aims to strengthen its connections with the region, meanwhile, Indonesia’s faith in its engineering abilities is a step towards defence technology independence.
