Indonesian shipbuilders begin building KCR-40-class missile craft

Indonesian shipbuilders PT Palindo Marine Industry and PT Citra Shipyard have begun construction of four KCR-40-class anti-ship missile craft being built for the Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL), TNI-AL public affairs spokesperson Captain Suradi Agung Slamet confirmed during a 17 July visit to the shipyards by TNI-AL Chief of Staff Admiral Marsetio.

Construction of all four vessels is said to be going according to plans, with launches scheduled to take place by September 2014.

Three of the platforms are being constructed by PT Palindo, with PT Citra working on the fourth. Both yards are located on the Riau Province island of Batam.

The KCR-40 is an indigenously produced 44 m vessel capable of reaching a top speed of 30 kt and accommodating 35 crew. According to IHS Jane's Fighting Ships, the vessels are designed to carry four C-705 surface-to-surface missiles, a 20 mm Denel Vektor G12 main gun, and two 12.7 mm machine guns.

In May 2014, TNI-AL fitted two of the craft - KRI Clurit and KRI Kujang - with AK-630 close in weapon systems, with the objective of assessing the system's suitability for use on all ships in the class.

It is not confirmed whether the weapons are fully operational. Currently, there are four KCR-40 craft in service with the TNI-AL.

These vessels were commissioned between April 2011 and December 2013. All four, procured to beef up maritime security within Indonesia's exclusive economic zone, are in service in the Eastern Fleet. TNI-AL is expected to have a total of nine KCR-40 ships by the end of 2014.

Besides the KCR-40, PT Citra Shipyard is also working on a third 250-tonne PC-43-class patrol craft for the TNI-AL. However, details on its launch and delivery schedule are not available. The first two vessels in this class were inducted into service in 2013.

  ♞ Janes