Indonesian Navy

The role of the Indonesian Navy (Indonesian: Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, TNI–AL) is to patrol of Indonesia's immense coastline, to ensure safeguard the territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), to protect Indonesia's maritime strategic interests, to protect the islands surrounded Indonesia and to defend against seaborne threats. The TNI AL is the largest navy in the region of South East Asia.^{[citation needed]} It currently aims to become the most technologically advanced navies in the region.
All commissioned ships of the TNI-AL have the prefix KRI (in Indonesian, Kapal Perang Republik Indonesia), which means Republic of Indonesia warship. The Indonesian Navy at the moment has about 74,000 active personnel and more than 150 naval warships including attack submarines.

History

The Indonesian Navy was formed on August 22, 1945. It was formed as the Agency of the People’s Security Sea Service (Badan Keamanan Rakyat-Laut). Later on October 5, 1945, BKR Laut became known as Angkatan Laut Republik Indonesia (ALRI). This was later changed to Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL) in the 1970s.
Total personnel of the Indonesian Navy was estimated at 74,000 in 2008. The Indonesian Navy purchased a number of ships of the Parchim, Frosch and Kondor Class from the former East German Navy in the 1990s. Navy vessels include KRI Cobra and others. In 2006, Indonesian Navy purchased 2 sets of Yakhont missiles and 20 BMP-3F amphibious light tanks with option of 100 more BMP-3 from Russia. Indonesia also plans to buy landing craft from Russia.
The Indonesian Navy is modernizing its fleet. New corvettes ordered from Netherlands are being added. The Navy also plans to induct 60 patrol vessels within a decade to maintain adequate force level while replacing obsolete ships in service. This will help in the fight against sea piracy and other maritime crime.

Organization

 

The navy comprises the following:

• Headquarters Staff (HQ, Jakarta) under the overall command of the Navy Chief of Staff,
• Two Fleet Commands :
  • Eastern Fleet Command, in Surabaya, conterminous with Army's KODAM V and KODAMs VII through IX and Air Force's Operation Command II.
  • Western Fleet Command, in Jakarta, conterminous with Army's KODAMs I through IV and VI and Air Force's Operation Command I.
• Several Naval Main Bases and Naval Bases throughout Indonesia. Apart from the major bases at Surabaya and Jakarta, forward operating bases exist at Kupang, West Timor and Tahuna, Sulawesi.
• Marine Corps,
• Naval Air Service,
• Military Sealift Command - coordinates the navy's logistical support systems.

Plans exist to have a single HQ at Surabaya, with commands at Riau (West), Papua (East), and Makassar (Central).

Indonesian Navy Special Forces

• Komando Pasukan Katak - the primary special operations force of the Indonesian Navy. They are recruited from navy sailors, and they are commonly called as "FROG MAN".
• Kompi Intai Para Amfibi - the Marine Corps' Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion, which also has capability as para-commando. They are recruited from marines corps.
• Detasemen Jala Mangkara - special operations forces of the Indonesian Navy. It is a combined detachment formed from selected personnel of the Navy's Underwater Special Unit (Kopaska) and the Marine Corps' Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion (KIPAM aka Yontaifib).

Ships of the Indonesian Navy

 See also: Current Indonesian Navy ships

The majority of the vessels in the Indonesian navy are from the Netherlands and Britain. However, since 2003, Indonesian shipyards have producde many of their own small vessels, in particular those of smaller displacement like patrol boats and fast attack crafts. Recently, two Makassar class LPDs have been launched by PT. PAL, with assistance from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co.(DSME) of South Korea, and there are a plans to build indigenous missile-armed corvettes (Kornas).

Naval Aviation

In the 1960s, the Indonesian Navy Naval Aviation had a long-range strike capability with Indonesian Navy had Il-28 medium bombers. In 1975-79, the Dinas Penerbangan Angkatan Laut (Naval Aviation Service) received 12 GAF Nomad Searchmaster B's and six Searchmaster L twin-turboprops to form a maritime patrol Squadron (800 Skwadron). In mid 1996 six NC.212-MPAs also join the squadron. All aircraft fly from the Naval headquarters base of Surabaya, but detachments are at times sent to Tanjung pinang and Manado.

 By Wikipedia.Org