the most important thing is what the ships are needed to do. I get a feeling (please correct me if I'm wrong) that this isn't being discussed enough.
This's my question too. As I have mentioned before they (TNI) info that being leaked to public is talking to build a fleet of 16 Frigates. That's more than double what they have in the 90's up until present time.
Eventough old, Van Speijk (A Yani) Class were once front line full Frigate under NATO classification. They have other Frigates before like US Claud Jones and British Tribal, however both can only considered Light Frigates or Corvettes Plus. Thus building 16 Frigates (if this's true of the plan) means changing the Fleet paradigm of operation. Like I said in my post, I don't know if TNI-AL ready or not.
What information that still unclear is whose going to be Parchim replacement. TNI-AL on their credit manage to operate those ex DDR Corvettes quite effectively, even though they have to spend quite substantial amount of their budget to modernize them. Still those become back bone on their patrol and naval duties throughout the archipelago. Those ships provide most TNI-AL presences over EEZ operation.
However their ASuW capabilities already outdated by the time they're operating within TNI-AL fleet. There's talk (based on the leak of MinDef/TNI discussion in Parliament session) that both more potent AAW and ASuW is what TNI-AL need to build. Off course the talk on achieve inter service network operational capabilities is Paramount in TNI plan. How to achieve it, that's not really clear yet.
The procurement plan on integrating Euro and US based electronics and system seems what the TNI planners aim for. This why they're engaged Greece's Scytalys to do that. However what type of assets (especially Naval Surface) fleet that going to be build and procured is what not clear yet.
Aside the talk of Fincantieri FREMM which seems will be Van Speijk replacement, the other replacement for the rest of the Fleet still not clear yet.
The Patrol duties is clear going to be fill by bunch of local build 28m-44m patrol boats. They are only good for constabulary duties, which is why I'm ranting they should be reassign to Coast Guard. President already talk that constabulary jurisdiction on Indonesian waters should be handle by Bakamla/Coast Guard. However like always in Indonesia the implementation of Political talk will not always consistently done in the field.
Why I'm talking on this, cause it will determine the focus of TNI-AL operational doctrine. If all coastal patrol and constabulary duties are already left to Coast Guard, then they can focus to rebuild their fleet for Green Water operation. This's in the end why this thread talking on
Indonesia green water Navy. However I must say what they have and what their doctrine still Brownish-Green Water Navy.
Until they're clearly redefine their doctrine to be consistent as Green Water Navy (or even Greenish-Blue) then their Procurement still patching things up. There's already studies by Indonesian Technological Development Bureau (BPPT) saying that TNI-AL should focus only with vessels 60m-80m above to be effective to do their job as guardian of Indonesia Maritime borders. If that being done then they are going to replace Parchim with 90m Corvettes/OPV. This will make it more in line with 12 relative modern Light Frigates/Corvettes they're having right now.
It's back to consistently defining their doctrine. So far I'm still see they're not very consistent on that yet. Hopefully it will change, and defining the work share and rules with Coast Guard is one big step the Administration need to put their feet down.
