A Turkish consortium is set to supply critical onboard capabilities for the Indonesian Navy’s two incoming Type 31 frigates.
The Type 31 vessels, based on Babcock’s proven Arrowhead 140 multi-mission design, are being built by an Indonesian state-owned shipyard under a license agreement signed in 2021 to expand the country’s naval fleet.
Steel for the ships was cut and laid down in 2023 and 2024, respectively. The Southeast Asian country is slated to receive the frigates by 2029.
Support From Aselsan, Havelsan, and Roketsan
Details collected by Naval News from a recent defense exhibit in Jakarta revealed that the Indonesian Navy’s Type 31s will be fitted with technologies from Ankara’s state-owned companies Aselsan, Havelsan, and Roketsan.
Under the program, Aselsan will supply a sensor suite incorporating a multifunction radar, a helicopter control radar, and a surveillance radar all found in Turkey’s I-class frigates.
It will also deliver identification friend-or-foe, data link, anti-ship missile fire control, and hull-mounted sonar systems.
Aselsan’s representatives told the outlet that the three contracts have already been signed for this package to date, with deliveries scheduled within three years.
Meanwhile, Havelsan will serve as a systems integrator agent for the Type 31’s combat management system, which was also selected as a common platform by Jakarta to unify command and control operations of up to 40 vessels in the Indonesian naval fleet.
Lastly, Rocketsan will equip the ships with its proprietary vertical launch system to host the frigates’ primary attack weaponry.
The Type 31 Frigate
Babcock’s Type 31 frigate measures 139 meters (456 feet) long and has the capacity for small inflatable boats, a maritime helicopter, and up to 190 personnel.
It can be armed with multi-domain missiles, automatic turrets, lightweight cannons, heavy machine guns, and torpedoes for anti-ship and anti-submarine warfare as well as air defense missions.
The vessel is powered by four Rolls-Royce MTU diesel engines with about 10,700 horsepower each for a speed of over 28 knots (52 kilometers/32 miles per hour) and a range of up to 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 kilometers/10,357 miles).
Upon arrival in Indonesia, the Type 31 will be designated the Merah Putih-class frigates.
