Ananda
The Bunker Group
When I have occasionally talk with people from Defense circle in Indonesia, it can be said when they see what Singapore have, is not on perspective of threat but more on; well my neighbor has it, I have to have it also.Type 214 has to be a front runner but what about a bespoke Korean submarine design like the DSME2000? Indonesia has to be honest. Is the Singapore Navy’s Type 218SG a threat that the TNI AL need to face or is it a partner to work with?
In my opinion it's more like I have a Nissan in my garage now, but my neighbor just bought Mercedes. Thus I have to buy Mercedes also or BMW, Audi or Lexus. Well the way I see, the ASEAN neighborhood still fill with neighbors envy. Not in sense of threat, but more I need to be seen not to far off from my neighbor.
On the matter of Submarine or defense equipment overall, there's seems two visions that not always in coherence which each other. One is the vision I need to have something that not far off with my neighbor, while the other is what I have must come out from my own Industry.
This's going to be a problem, since Indonesian defense industry still need a lot off learning curve. In fact Prabowo's in the Parliament also stated that Indonesia Defense Technology still need a lot of catching up with others Defense Technology, especially in manufacturing.
PAL it self in media already talk that they need the second batch of 209 DSME to complete their learning curve. In such the Industry it self see that they can't being asked to jump to latest technology, as they need the learning curve.
Thus this process with ROK on KFX or DSME 209 set by SBY administration to coincide with local Industry learning cycle. PAL need to learn from relative basic technological modern submarine type first. Thus why DSME type 209 being choose. Just like DI has no experience on Fighters manufacturing, that's why involvement with KFX as Junior Partner is being choose. Off course the budget availability dictate that, but also it's step by step approach.
However right now, Jokowi's administration seems have bit different idea. They still want to have local industry involvement, but they also demand to be involved with more Technological stages.
How to make local industry jump the learning curve ? Well that's the question that many including me also curious to see how to do it.
Last edited by a moderator: