FutureTank
Banned Member
Along with the recently announced, but long known, intention by Indonesia to purchase from Russia submarines and helicopters, was also a less well known purchase of 20 'amphibious light tanks'.
There has been little comment on this, but it warrants some investigation.
Firstly the purchase is by the Indonesian Navy, not Army as one might imagine, and is for 20 BMP-3F amphibious 'light tank' which come with an option of 100 more BMP-3Fs from Russia. Indonesia also plans to buy landing crafts from Russia. These are of course designed as Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and not 'light tanks', and are a significant improvement on the existing Marine vehicle park.
This is enough to equip 9 companies, or three battalions of the estimated 17,000 Indonesian Marines [Korps Marinir (Kormar)].
GlobalSecurity site says the marines were organized into two brigades, one in Jakarta (PASMAR 2nd) and the other in Surabaya (PASMAR 1st), and were equipped with light tanks (PT-76), armored personnel carriers (AMX-10P), and antiaircraft guns. Some of the marine elements were believed occasionally to be attached to KOSTRAD in operational missions. However a third brigade is attached to the Marine Command though nominally it is the 3rd Infantry Brigade.
[From Wiki]
In 1999 a plan was proposed to expand the Kormar from its strength of 13,000 service personnel. Based on this plan, every Kormar's base would have one of the three combat brigades comprised of: the Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery and would be supported by one Combat Support Regiment and one Administration Support Regiment. The expansion will create three Kormar bases: Surabaya for Eastern area command, Jakarta for Central area command, and Rate Island in Lampung for Western area command (BRIGIF 3rd Brigade ). The expansion would increase the strength of Kormar to 23,000 persons.
It seems that the BMP-3F are intended for the Marine Cavalry battalions, one for each brigade, but organised as standard Russian infantry battalions, replacing the very aged AMX-10s and PT-76s.
Each Kormar battalion has about 654 service personnel as reported in 2005 on the participation of the 7th battalion during the Aceh relief operations as part fo the 3rd Infantry Brigade (BRIGIF-3 which is under Marine Command). (http://www.indonesia-ottawa.org/information/details.php?type=news_copy&id=1295)
Also used
http://www.marinir.mil.id/organisasi.php
Clearly the initial purchase of the 20 BMP-3F are intended for the initial training and induction of the type by the 1st and 2nd Marine brigades, and the eventual procurement of the BMP-3F to equip all three brigades will transform the Indonesian Marine force into a very significant and modern force equipped with some of the best amphibious vehicles in the Asia Pacific region.
Cheers
Greg
There has been little comment on this, but it warrants some investigation.
Firstly the purchase is by the Indonesian Navy, not Army as one might imagine, and is for 20 BMP-3F amphibious 'light tank' which come with an option of 100 more BMP-3Fs from Russia. Indonesia also plans to buy landing crafts from Russia. These are of course designed as Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and not 'light tanks', and are a significant improvement on the existing Marine vehicle park.
This is enough to equip 9 companies, or three battalions of the estimated 17,000 Indonesian Marines [Korps Marinir (Kormar)].
GlobalSecurity site says the marines were organized into two brigades, one in Jakarta (PASMAR 2nd) and the other in Surabaya (PASMAR 1st), and were equipped with light tanks (PT-76), armored personnel carriers (AMX-10P), and antiaircraft guns. Some of the marine elements were believed occasionally to be attached to KOSTRAD in operational missions. However a third brigade is attached to the Marine Command though nominally it is the 3rd Infantry Brigade.
[From Wiki]
In 1999 a plan was proposed to expand the Kormar from its strength of 13,000 service personnel. Based on this plan, every Kormar's base would have one of the three combat brigades comprised of: the Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery and would be supported by one Combat Support Regiment and one Administration Support Regiment. The expansion will create three Kormar bases: Surabaya for Eastern area command, Jakarta for Central area command, and Rate Island in Lampung for Western area command (BRIGIF 3rd Brigade ). The expansion would increase the strength of Kormar to 23,000 persons.
It seems that the BMP-3F are intended for the Marine Cavalry battalions, one for each brigade, but organised as standard Russian infantry battalions, replacing the very aged AMX-10s and PT-76s.
Each Kormar battalion has about 654 service personnel as reported in 2005 on the participation of the 7th battalion during the Aceh relief operations as part fo the 3rd Infantry Brigade (BRIGIF-3 which is under Marine Command). (http://www.indonesia-ottawa.org/information/details.php?type=news_copy&id=1295)
Also used
http://www.marinir.mil.id/organisasi.php
Clearly the initial purchase of the 20 BMP-3F are intended for the initial training and induction of the type by the 1st and 2nd Marine brigades, and the eventual procurement of the BMP-3F to equip all three brigades will transform the Indonesian Marine force into a very significant and modern force equipped with some of the best amphibious vehicles in the Asia Pacific region.
Cheers
Greg
