Indonesia Signs Preamble Contract for First Iver Huitfeldt-Variant Frigate

 Iver Huitfeldt Frigate [Brian Aitkenhea] ☆

The Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MOD) has signed a preamble contract that paves the way for the country to procure its first-ever frigate from Denmark.

The contract was signed on 30 April in the presence of representatives from the MOD, state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL, and PT Sinar Kokoh Persada, the Indonesian agent for Danish company Odense Maritime Technology (OMT).

Among articles covered in the preamble contract include workshare arrangements that will be taken once an actual contract for the first vessel materialises, a defence industry source close to the matter has confirmed with Janes while providing documentary evidence of the occasion.

As first reported by Janes in March 2019, Indonesia has grown increasingly keen on a variant of the Iver Huitfeldt -class frigate, three of which are in service with the Royal Danish Navy, for the country’s own two-ship surface combatant requirement.

A piece of unclassified correspondence between the country’s then-defence minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu, and the cabinet secretary of President Joko Widodo provided to Janes that month made the case for the Iver Huitfeldt class as one that features “reliable combat capabilities, and can operate in the extremities of Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone”.

The Iver Huitfeldt class displaces 6,600 tonnes at full load, and is powered by four MTU 20V 8000 M70 diesel engines in a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) configuration, giving it a top speed of about 28 kt. 

  ☆ Jane's