Indonesia has launched an accelerated schedule to construct two cutting-edge Scorpene Evolved Full Lithium-Ion Battery (LiB) submarines, compressing what was originally an eight-year project into just five. The unprecedented acceleration, mandated by President Prabowo Subianto earlier this year, is expected to redefine Indonesia’s naval trajectory and reshape Southeast Asia’s maritime security calculus.
The ambitious directive comes at a time when undersea dominance in the Indo-Pacific has taken on outsized importance amid expanding military footprints, overlapping territorial claims, and increasingly assertive maneuvers by regional and global naval powers.
“This request has suddenly become a significant challenge that must be addressed together,” said Rear Admiral (Ret.) Wiranto, Project Director at PT PAL, Indonesia’s state-owned shipbuilder. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kompas, Wiranto confirmed the President’s desire to see the Scorpene submarines delivered three years earlier than initially scheduled.
“A few months ago, the President requested the team, namely the team from PT PAL and our partner from Naval Group, to expedite this project by three years,” he said, indicating the sense of urgency from the highest level of government.
The original 96-month (eight-year) construction plan for the two submarines, signed on March 28, 2024, between Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence and France’s Naval Group, is now being reevaluated to meet the new five-year deadline. With both submarines to be built domestically at PT PAL’s facility in Surabaya, this represents the most technologically advanced and time-sensitive naval program Indonesia has ever attempted.
The deal, valued at over USD 1.4 billion, not only secures cutting-edge hardware but also embeds deep technology transfer clauses that are integral to Indonesia’s defence industrial aspirations. For France’s Naval Group, it marks a strategic win in deepening its Indo-Pacific ties and expanding its influence beyond Europe.
In response to the accelerated schedule, both Naval Group and PT PAL have launched comprehensive reviews of production sequences, staffing requirements, and industrial processes. “We are redesigning our workflows and implementing rapid innovation strategies to meet the new timeline,” a Naval Group representative stated, indicating that French engineers are already embedded full-time in Surabaya to coordinate directly with their Indonesian counterparts.
Indonesia’s Scorpene variant will feature the Full Lithium-Ion Battery (LiB) propulsion system—a breakthrough technology that places Indonesia among the first countries outside Europe to integrate this next-generation power solution into conventional submarines.
Unlike traditional diesel-electric subs or even Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems, lithium-ion technology provides:
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Quieter operation with significantly reduced acoustic signatures,
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Longer submerged endurance, up to 12 consecutive days,
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Faster recharge cycles and
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Greater energy density, offering higher operational flexibility.
Each submarine will displace between 1,600 to 2,000 tons, stretch 72 meters in length, and reach depths exceeding 300 meters, with submerged speeds of up to 20 knots. These specs are not just technical milestones—they are operational game-changers, particularly in a region where detection avoidance and stealth-based deterrence are paramount.
“These submarines are not just about increasing our naval numbers. They are about strategic reach and undersea invisibility,” said Dr. Andika Hermawan, a defence strategist at Universitas Indonesia. “This is Jakarta’s most serious effort yet to project power in the undersea domain.”
The combat backbone of these submarines lies in Naval Group’s proprietary SUBTICS® Integrated Combat System, enabling seamless management of sonar, periscopes, Electronic Support Measures (ESM), navigation, and fire-control operations through a unified digital interface. With six 533mm torpedo tubes, each Scorpene can carry up to 18 heavyweight torpedoes or guided missiles, capable of both anti-surface and anti-submarine operations.
High automation levels will allow the submarines to be manned by a crew of just 31 personnel, minimizing operational costs and human error while optimizing mission efficiency.
The decision to expedite this project stems from a confluence of internal and external factors:
- South China Sea Tensions – With rising submarine deployments by China’s PLAN, increased U.S. undersea patrols, and growing grey-zone activities near Indonesia’s Natuna Islands, undersea surveillance and deterrence capabilities are viewed as critical.
- Strategic Gaps – Indonesia currently operates a modest submarine fleet, mostly comprised of German-built Type 209 and South Korean-modified variants. The Scorpene-class, with its advanced tech, addresses significant capability gaps.
- Defence Industrial Autonomy by 2045 – The submarine project is directly tied to Indonesia’s vision of becoming a self-sustaining defence producer by its centennial in 2045. As Rear Admiral Wiranto noted:
“This figure [30% TKDN – Domestic Component Level] serves as the initial benchmark in a long marathon toward full independence… Our target is to export submarines by 2045.”
If successful, Indonesia would join an exclusive group of countries capable of not only producing submarines domestically but exporting them—alongside the likes of South Korea, France, and Turkey.
Founded in 1980, PT PAL has grown from assembling commercial vessels to becoming Indonesia’s primary naval shipbuilder. Yet, the Scorpene program is inarguably its most complex undertaking. From welding precision and propulsion integration to combat system interfacing, the project will test the company’s industrial depth.
“This is PT PAL’s litmus test,” said Arief Budiman, a senior defence procurement analyst. “A successful outcome will unlock confidence—not just in the military but across ASEAN—as to what Indonesia can deliver.”
To ensure success, the Ministry of Defence has launched a dedicated oversight task force, combining experts from the Navy, engineering institutions, and industry to ensure quality benchmarks and timeline discipline are maintained.
For France’s Naval Group, the Indonesia deal bolsters its Indo-Pacific portfolio following prior successes in Brazil, Malaysia, and India. The group sees Indonesia not merely as a buyer but as a co-developer of next-gen naval platforms.
“This is a strategic partnership, not just a sales agreement,” Naval Group CEO Pierre Éric Pommellet said during the contract’s signing in Jakarta. “Indonesia will be a co-author of its undersea destiny.”
France’s defence diplomacy has expanded notably since its submarine fallout with Australia. The Indonesia contract partially offsets that loss and reaffirms French commitment to long-term industrial partnerships rather than simple arms exports.
Indonesia’s accelerated submarine buildout is bound to trigger attention—and possibly concern—across the Indo-Pacific.
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Australia, now committed to the AUKUS pact and building nuclear-powered submarines, will likely welcome Indonesia’s enhanced capabilities as a regional stabilizer—provided Jakarta maintains operational transparency.
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China, on the other hand, may view Jakarta’s undersea ambitions with wariness. With Indonesia bolstering surveillance near the resource-rich Natuna region, overlapping with China’s nine-dash line, strategic friction could intensify.
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Vietnam and Malaysia, both engaged in their own submarine acquisitions, may seek to match or complement Indonesia’s pace, possibly igniting a fresh round of undersea arms modernization in ASEAN.
For President Prabowo, who once served as army general and ran multiple times for president before taking office in 2024, the submarine project represents more than national security—it’s a keystone for economic and industrial transformation.
His emphasis on defence sovereignty, local innovation, and global parity is echoed across other recent defence initiatives, including:
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A revamped jet trainer program with Turkish cooperation.
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Indigenous drone development with Israeli and Korean inputs.
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Expanded naval shipyard capabilities in Makassar and Batam.
Public opinion in Indonesia remains cautiously optimistic. While many support modernizing the military, concerns linger over cost transparency, project delays, and the potential for elite capture of lucrative defence contracts.
Yet if the Scorpene project delivers on time, and on quality, it may serve as a powerful narrative of what Prabowo’s administration can achieve when political will meets industrial resolve.
