Surabaya – The Navy received the fifth Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) fully built by state-owned shipbuilding company PAL Indonesia in the East Java capital of Surabaya on Sunday.

The vessel measures 60 meters in length with an overall beam of 8.1 meters and a displacement of up to 500 tons, locally known as the Sempari-class "Kapal Cepat Rudal" (Fast Missile Boat) or KCR-60M.

The fifth KCR-60M is the first variant to be fully built by PAL – from the platform to its radar and weaponry system installations, the company's CEO Kaharuddin Djenod said during the handover ceremony.

The Defense Ministry has placed an order for two KCR-60M vessels of the same variant, with the sixth still under construction.

"We are both proud and thankful to the Defense Ministry for placing confidence in us to build two more KCR-60Ms," Kaharuddin said.

The vessel is fitted with 57-mm Bofors main gun, 20-mm Shipborne gun, and French-made 40-mm Exocet anti-ship missiles.

When fully loaded, it can attain a maximum speed of 28 knots and a maximum range of 2,400 miles at 20 knots with a full crew complement of 55. However, the endurance is relatively low at just five days.

The new vessel will need to undergo a series of tests before officially coming into service with the Navy.

Four previous Sempari-class vessels were retrofitted with Russian-made AU-220M 57-mm Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) as the main gun.

"Without a strong naval force, we can never become a strong nation. We also need a strong domestic defense industry to reduce reliance on foreign industries," Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said during the ceremony.

"We have set a big goal that we must become the master of our own sea, land, and air," he added.

Also present in the ceremony were Indonesian Military Chief General Andika Perkasa and Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Yudo Margono.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesian-navy-receives-fifth-sempariclass-offshore-patrol-vesse