Indonesia started pre-production work for its Scorpene Evo program in late May 2026, and has now announced that the first steel cutting for the first Scorpene Evo boat will take place this month, also revealing other key elements of the program.
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| Image: Naval Group via ANTARA |
Construction details
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| Image: From Naval News. PT PAL Surabaya production facilities, note Submarine Hangar building on right of image.
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Follow-on Orders
Janes reported in mid-June that PT PAL will support the full integration of torpedo-tube-launched missiles for the second batch of two boats, and for all follow-on orders, and this also indicates that Indonesia has already held discussions with Naval Group about further batches of Scorpene Evo submarines.
Integrating a torpedo-tube-launched system will enable the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) Scorpene Evo boats to launch Exocet SM39 and upcoming SM40 ASMs, and potentially the LCM-NCM Mk2 very long-range cruise missile.
Indonesia's current Naval Chief of Staff, Admiral Muhammad Ali, stated in October 2023 that "the ideal number of submarines to support our forces is 12" to meet Indonesia's then Minimum Essential Force (MEF) requirements, now known as Optimum Essential Force (OEF). This means that a successful program could see production extend through the late 2030s, and PT PAL has expressed a desire to develop an indigenous design for export from around 2042.
As I mentioned in my 2023 article on Indonesia's Submarine Forces, this ASEAN country is the world's largest archipelagic nation, with four major straits. In 2026, the sole remaining Type 209 Cakra (401) boat is 45 years old and still in service, while the follow-on Nagapasa-class (Improved Jang Bogo) entered service from 2017 to 2021.
While the Cakra should be replaced by the first Scorpene Evo boat, the Nagapasa-class are still new boats, but Indonesia might dispose of them when they are due for Mid-Life Updates (MLU) around 2037, as it does not make economic sense to run two submarine fleets with different training requirements and supply chains.
10 comments:
Hi Shawn - great article
Indonesia always defies common (parts, command and training) submarine sense by having 1 from Germany, 3 from South Korea, 2 future subs from France, 6 minisubs from Italy to be built (2 already in active service), up to 30 indigenous minisubs planned.
See all these here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_active_Indonesian_Navy_ships#Submarine_fleet
All this will be more powerful than the Australian navy's aging (newest commissioned in 2003) 5 or 6 Collins until the first Aukus-Virginia might arrive in 2043.
Cheers Pete
Hi Pete,
The Cakra received an extensive refit by DSME (now Hanwha Ocean) in 2004. The second boat, Nangala, received a similar refit in 2012. https://www.newswire.co.kr/newsRead.php?no=598586
The Nagapasa-class were ordered from DSME in 2012. These boats are updated Korean derivatives of the Type-209, and should be very similar to the post refit Cakra. I don’t have any information on the current systems on these submarines but they should have similar combat systems (though the Nagapasa has flank sonar)
It is unclear what service and sustainment package these submarines have, but in my opinion they are probably provided by PT PAL, who assembled the third submarine. I expect PT PAL to now focus on building the Scorpene Evo, and Indonesia could decommission the Nagapasa-class early when their Scorpene Evo fleet reaches a certain mass.
https://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/2021/03/indonesian-navy-receives-first-locally-assembled-submarine/
The Drass DGK boats displace 219 tons and are likely modern versions of coastal patrol boats, with special forces support, but I won’t want to take on a PLAAN Type 039B in one.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/03/italys-drass-will-provide-six-new-generation-compact-submarines-in-addition-to-sdvs-to-indonesia/
KSOT is a large AUV and are made by PT PAL, so most of Indonesia’s submarine assets look like they are logistically managed by a single shipbuilder. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/11/indonesia-conducts-first-torpedo-test-from-ksot-autonomous-submarine/
Now Indonesia’s warship procurement is a mess - Four Type 31/Arrowhead 140 built by PT PAL with a Turkish weapons and sensor fit.
Two Italian PPA transferred from the Italian Navy, so the crew needs to learn Italian to read all the labels and systems.
Two TF-100/MILGEM II light frigates from Turkey.
Hi Shawn at 7/06/2026 5:43 AM
True that the German built Cakra and the 3 Nagapasas are all Type-209 variants and all tied to PT PAL.
As the 3 Nagapasas were commissioned from 2017 to 2021 so any decommissioning in the late 2030s might be early. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagapasa-class_submarine#Boats_in_class
As well as medium sized subs and surface ships, Indonesia seems to buy only small numbers of jetfighters from various countries. New generations of officials and politicians may appreciate commissions to finance or recompense their careers.
In Australia officials, politicians and senior naval officers enjoy problematic, 15+ year slow builds of vessels to extend to far higher wages in private industry. A classic case being long term politician and recreational Ambassador to the US, Andrew Peacock, who became President of Boeing Australia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Peacock#After_politics
Pete
At least Australian acquisition planning takes into account whole of life cycle cost. The UK recently tried to shove all their available F-35B into one aircraft carrier but only had sustainment stores for half, so they increased corrosion and wear across their fleet, https://www.navylookout.com/uk-f-35-fleet-stretched-by-combat-operations-and-upgrade-delays/
With few exceptions, military spending in South East Asia tends to rest on middlemen/lobbyist who bug out when they get their cut and do not care about sustainment. This goes back decades: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-sultan-flying-coffin-order-black-hawk-helicopter-5297881
Oh, SSN-AUKUS build program will start next year
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/britain-to-start-building-new-nuclear-attack-subs-next-year/
Hi again Shawn
PAL president director Kaharuddin Djenod's claims about Naval Group's untested in operations Li-ion Battery (LIB) system is somewhat dubious where Djenod claims at https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/05/29/indonesian-shipbuilder-pt-pal-starts-preproduction-for-scorpene-evolved-submarine-project
"“Indonesia is the first country in Asean that can build its own submarines, including the development of Scorpene Evolved with Advanced and Improved Propulsion [technology].”
Pete Comment:
For medium subs Indonesia only assembled a Nagapasa-class KRI Alugoro in 2018-19 from parts wholly manufactured in South Korea.
Naval Group has not yet launched a Scorpene Evolved with "Advanced and Improved Propulsion [technology]" and will not do so for some years.
Pete Comment continues
Where https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2026/05/29/indonesian-shipbuilder-pt-pal-starts-preproduction-for-scorpene-evolved-submarine-project claims
"The latest contract signed on March 28, 2024, however, specifies two Scorpene Evolved using lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which have a maximum endurance of 80 days for the same price tag.
According to Naval Group, submarines with Li-ion batteries is better suited for the Indonesian Navy considering its vast deployment area, which covers the country’s territorial waters as well as exclusive economic zone.
While most conventional submarines are equipped with lead-acid batteries, more advanced designs use the fuel cell-based air independent propulsion (AIP) system to augment battery power.
The group’s submarine marketing director, Anthony Covarrubias, said submarines equipped with fuel cell-based AIP systems was suitable only for naval use in shallow waters and small maritime areas, such as Germany in the North Sea, Sweden in the Baltic Sea and Singapore."
Naval Group's (NG's) LIBs have not been tested in an operational full size submarine at sea (to my knowledge).
NG's inability to develop a 2G or 3G, operational at sea, AIP technology is the reason NG disregards the more advanced AIP developed by Germany and Sweden (both used by Singapore) and by South Korea (used by SK).
Cheers Pete
Hi Pete,
Naval Group doesn’t like the RSN as they keep choosing other manufacturers , and the fact that India may cancel their third order of Scorpenes for more TKMS boats could be due to the Indian Navy getting a very close look at RSN Invincible, as the RSN uses India’s submarine training range in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Naval Group lost out on Singapore Navy contracts - the 2023 MRCV went to a Saab/OMT bid, while the 2013 submarine contest went down to NG and TKMS, who won. Add in that the Rafale was the second last bidder against the F-15E in the 2003 fighter contest and you can see a trend emerging..
Singapore’s last attempt to “buy French” was a failure - AMX-10P Marine and 105mm light guns, bought for an amphibious brigade, that were replaced within 15 years. I heard rumours that the AMX-10P suffered cracks from sustained fire of its 90mm gun.
Interesting Shawn at 7/06/2026 8:08 PM
I dare say Singapore's would be wary of the French because Singapore's occasional strategic competitor, Malaysia, is armed with 2 French built Scorpenes.
The spectre of NG having intimate knowledge of both sides of a Malaysian-Singapore confrontation to which could be added a "bit" of historical French covert bribery to Malaysia would likely put Singapore off https://corruption-tracker.org/case/the-malaysian-scorpene-submarine-affair
France also organising the 2 Scorpenes, 42 Rafales and artillery for Indonesia might also make Singapore wary https://thediplomat.com/2025/05/france-indonesia-sign-agreement-that-could-lead-to-further-defense-purchases/
Although TKMS also has a "2 sides record" having long supplied competitors Greece and Turkiye with submarines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_209_submarine#Operators
Cheers Pete
Thanks for the great article, Shawn!
It appears the Indonesians may have adopted the Japanese philosophy of Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) being used to replace the AIP system, instead of supplementing it as on the German (and Indian) concepts of operation.
LIBs are particularly useful for high-speed bursts or any such relatively quick discharge of energy, which is something most traditional AIPs (including fuel-cell type) may not be capable of to the same extent. Where the AIP excels however is in 'drip charging' the system, extending underwater endurance for increased on-station time and so on.
Using the two systems in conjunction (like on Type-212CD or India's upcoming P-75I) would create a lot of operational flexibility for diesel-electric submarines, but of course that comes at additional cost, weight (displacement) & complexity as compared to a LIB-only configuration. So there are several merits for going the LIB-only way unless the operating Navy has very specific requirements that call for a LIB + AIP setup.
In case Indonesia decides to 'upgrade' their Scorpene Evos during one of their scheduled refits a decade or so down the line, I wonder if they'd be interested in the Fuel-Cell AIP that India has developed for their own Scorpenes, provided the system is finally proven on an actual refitted Kalvari-class (Indian Scorpene) boat by that point. France's FC2G system is also an option, though it too remains unproven on an actual submarine.
But I guess if Indonesia really wanted AIP, they'd have gone for it from the start. Oh well, who knows what the future holds.
Cheers,
Gessler
Hi Gessler!
Apologies for the late response.
I took PT PAL's president's claims as brand marketing and the usual "my next boat is better than your current boat" one-upmanship. Note that Singapore already has more submarines than Indonesia (4 in service, 1 working up, 1 fitting out).
I know TKMS has been conducting R&D on LIB batteries since 2014, and refitted a Type-212A in 2024 as a demonstrator - https://thedefensepost.com/2024/10/17/thyssenkrupp-battery-german-sub/
TKMS seems a few years behind the South Koreans and Japanese with LIB technology, but these batteries are supposed to be swappable "without design change" on the Type-209NG - https://www.tkmsgroup.com/submarines/submarine-classes/hdw-class-209
This implies that the Singaporean Invincible-class (Type-218SG) can switch to LIB when they come in for maintenance.
I have been curious of LIB use in military warship power generation for some years, especially as large cruise ships now use such systems to keep the lights on, example: https://corvusenergy.com/products/corvus-dolphin-nxtgen-ess-energy
Singapore's upcoming Victory-class MRCV will use IFEP with diesel power generation, but the use of LIB is not mentioned. LIB will act as a critical backup in damage control, for its ability to smooth out surges and keep high-energy critical systems, like AESA radar, powered.
The case pro or conAIP is not technical
It is a strategic tactical issue dictâted by geography
Speed,high sea,distances mimic of SSN versus optimzation for shot distance on station to over simplify
Chile ,Brazil,Japan,Netherlands,Australia (pré AUKUs),now Argentina for instance did not look atAIP
Germany,Singapour,Norway and now Canada (after being denied N..) selected AIP
Indiahas SSN and is investing in SSN as Brazil and likely SK..
Hanwah heralded a 3 weeks submerged trip to Guam…
3weeks is very long from a strategic stand point in these days and once there there is no fuel left for AIP
French SSN reached N Caledonia in 3 weeks submerged around S Africa and S Australia already in the 90 for instance
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