Indonesian Navy receives second Bung Karno-class vessel

KRI Bung Hatta, seen here at its delivery and induction ceremony in Batam. (Indonesian Navy)

Batam-based private shipyard PT Karimun Anugrah Sejati (KAS) has delivered the second Bung Karno-class vessel on order for the Indonesian Navy.

Named KRI Bung Hatta and applied with pennant number 370, the vessel was handed over at a ceremony presided over by Indonesian Navy Chief Admiral Muhammad Ali on 17 April, the service disclosed on the same day.

Images of Bung Hatta accompanying the statement indicate that the vessel has also received its naval ensign, which suggests that it was subsequently commissioned at the handover ceremony.

In his address at the ceremony, Adm Muhammad Ali described Bung Hatta as a corvette that will strengthen the Indonesian Navy's 1st Fleet Command's combat capabilities.

While the vessel is presently equipped with a 57 mm naval gun in the primary position, the Indonesian Navy maintains the option to upgrade this to a 76 mm-calibre weapon, the navy noted in its statement.

Besides this primary weapon, Bung Hatta is also equipped with two 20 mm guns. In addition to this, the corvette has been built such that it can accommodate launchers for surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles and torpedoes on a fitted-for-but-not-with (FFBNW) basis, the service added.

The Bung Karno class displaces about 650 tonnes at full load, and it has an overall length of about 73 m and an overall beam of 12 m.