Japan Wants to Sell the Frigates to Indonesia, the Italian Offer also Appears

Fincantieri FREMM frigate [marina difesa]

Among the priorities of the Tokyo government is the export of military equipment with particular attention to the area of Japanese influence.

Japan is allegedly pushing the sale of military ships to Indonesia in order to fuel the vision of a "free Indo-Pacific".

The units in question would be the "30FFM" classified as destroyers by Japan but frigates in all respects.

Tokyo has in fact chosen to launch this new class of ships to support the larger units and carry out the "minor" tasks.

A way to increase the operational capacity and the number of ships available to the Chief of Staff to face China more widely. The numbers are in fact very important: 8 units for the first batch and 22 for the second.

The price, including four units, should be 300 billion yen for the Indonesian tax payer.

Taking into account the exchange rate (1 yen = 0.0082 euros as of November 6, 2020), the expenditure is 2.45 billion euros, specifically 612 million euros per unit.

 30DX or 30FFM 
Komano frigate [Defense World]

The proposed Japanese units, which can give us a rough idea of what Jakarta wants, have a displacement of around 5,000 tons, a length of 130 meters and a width of 16 meters.

The armament consists of a Mk-45 cannon in the bow, two quadruple Type 17 anti-ship missile launchers, a SeaRAM launcher, Type 12 light torpedoes and 16 VLS Mk-41 cells.

Propulsion is ensured by a Rolls Royce MT30 gas turbine and two MAN diesel generators, in the CODAG (Combined Diesel and Gas) configuration, capable of propelling the Japanese frigate to more than 30 knots.

The radar is the AESA OPY-2 in X-band is derived from the FCS-3 already installed on several units of the Japanese Navy. To complete the suite of sensors, the OAX-3 for EO/IR, OQQ-25 consisting of the sonar in the bow and the trailed bulb and OQQ-11 for minesweeper operations. All managed by the OYQ-1 Combat Management System (CMS).

The frigates are also capable of carrying out "minesweepers" missions thanks to the use of remotely controlled means and to lay mines.

The diamond point of the ships is the innative bridge that uses virtual reality.

A total of 90 crew members can be found on board.

 The Italian offer 
Fincantieri PPA [Occar]

As reported by “The Japan News”, in addition to the Japanese offer, an “Italian shipyard” also shows the intention to participate when some important parameters such as price and participation of local industries are set.

It can be clearly understood that the “Italian shipyard” is Fincantieri.

The Trieste group could offer both a version of the FREMM "cut" for Indonesian needs, the Multipurpose Offshore Patrol/Pattugliatori Polivalenti d’Altura (PPA) or the "corvette" for Qatar Doha class.

The above figures are very high but it is not clear whether or not they include other costs such as logistical and training support.

However, taking the figures aseptically, it is consequent to make a comparison with the sale of the two FREMMs to Egypt for 1.2 billion euros.

Here too it is not known with certainty the list of expenses but we are at 600 million euros per unit.

On an order of four ships it is possible to make greater use of the economy of scale and to meet the needs of the customer.

The same Multipurpose Offshore Patrol boats have equipment and dimensions that do not differ much from the 30DX.

The graphic will appear clearer.

  ⚓️ Ares Difesa