Indonesian submarine sinking highlights military shortcomings Military News

Surabaya, Indonesia – Indonesian authorities said this week that a rescue operation related to Chinese underwater rescue vessels had recovered the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine “wreck” that sank off the coast of Bali last month, questions have been raised by the country’s military and its operational training.

Rescuers have so far been unable to find the body of the ship, which sank on April 21, while carrying out live fire torpedo drills.

It is believed that the submarine – which had 53 crew on board – suffered a mechanical failure and sank to a depth of more than 840 meters (2,755 feet), well below a depth of 300 meters (984 feet), and thus entered. three pieces.

Rear Admiral Iwan Isnurwanto told a media briefing on Tuesday that elements of the KRI Nanggala-402 had been recovered, including torpedo cables, technical manuals, life rafts and metal plates outside the ship, but that the rescue operation had not yet found the ship’s main body.

He added that climbing any part of the submarine would be a difficult task.

“Several times, Tan Suo-2 [a Chinese rescue vessel] attempted to raise the bow or bridge. The main platform is estimated to weigh approximately 18 tons, so it is known that they could not lift it […]he said.

Search teams also found an underwater crater filled with mud, and Isnurwanto said it was possible for the main submarine section to enter the crater, along with the bodies of the crew.

The sinking of the KRI Nanggala-402, built in Germany in 1977 and purchased by the Indonesian Navy in 1981, raises questions about the overall quality of Indonesian defense equipment, most of it from abroad.

Modernization of the program

Over the years, Indonesia has imported military equipment from more than 20 countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia and South Korea.

Indonesia began modernizing equipment in 2007.

Gilang Kembara of the Center for Strategic and International Research (CSIS), an Indonesian think tank focused on strategic, political, security and economic issues, said the Indonesian Army launched its minimum essential force strategy in 2010 with the aim of updating and innovating. his team for 2024.

“The army is modernizing its warships, and this is done considering the number of old warships used in the fleet, many of which were made during the Cold War,” he told Al Jazeera. “Defensive equipment is also being rejuvenated on submarines, frigates, aircraft and helicopters for the Navy Aviation Center.”

In 2021, the budget of the Indonesian Armed Forces increased by 11 percent to 136 trillion Indonesian rupees ($ 9.2 million) in 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID-19 due to budget cuts.

At the time of the sinking of the KRI Nanggala-402, the Indonesian Army ordered three additional submarines from South Korea with the goal of exploiting eight submarine fleets by 2024. KRI Cakra-401, KRI Nanggala-402 underwater sister. , has been undergoing essential maintenance since January 2021.

Indonesian military leader Hadi Tjahjanto has spoken to the media about the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine search operation. The accident that killed 53 crew members has raised doubts about the age of some military equipment [File: Fikri Yusuf/Antara Foto via Reuters]

Comprised of more than 17,000 islands, Indonesia is facing many maritime challenges and is facing conflict in China, where its fishing vessels have been found to be operating illegally in the waters of the archipelago.

Natalie Sambhi, chief executive of Verve Research, a multidisciplinary collective investigation focused on the Southeast Asian military, had previously told Al Jazeera that Indonesia’s submarine capabilities were “extremely poor” given the potential scale of its operations.

Indonesia also has a history of civilian-military programs created to complement its official armed forces, including the Bela Negara concept, which seeks to directly involve civil society in a larger national defense project, the establishment of paramilitary training, ideological training and … reserve auxiliary troops.

But Ian Wilson, a tenured professor of political and security studies at Murdoch University in Australia, says the focus could leave the armed forces ill-prepared to face the challenges they now face.

“In many ways, this conflicts with the idea of ​​a professionalized, modern, and resourceful military focused on protecting and defending Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty and national interest from potential external sovereign threats,” he said.

“Historically the military has been primarily an organization based on internal control and power, which is perhaps why, despite this centrality, it has had few resources when it comes to modernizing equipment.”

‘Mythical ship’

The Indonesian Armed Forces was founded in October 1945 after independence and now has about 400,000 personnel in the navy, navy and air force.

Challenged by many in the country – and denouncing human rights violations in some countries – military service life is seen as competitive and prestigious.

Rear Admiral Frans Wuwung was once the chief engineer of the KRI Nanggala-402 and felt nothing but pride when he worked on the ship from 1981 to 1985.

Family members threw flowers into the sea off the coast of Bali during a ceremony to remember the crew of the Indonesian navy ship KRI Nanggala. [File: Juni Kriswanto/AFP]

Wuwung says the submarine crew would have to go through a rigorous training and selection process before being allowed to work on the ship.

“The submarine was a huge part of my life and my experience. They can’t be separated, ”he said.“ Honestly, I haven’t stopped crying since he disappeared.

“It’s like the memories of my youth have sunk. And, even more heartbreaking, my little brothers, the best people in this nation, had to die along with this mythical ship. ”