Indonesia delays decommissioning of Ahmad Yani-class frigates amid South China Sea obligations |
IHS Jane's 360 - 19 October 2017
The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut) has decided to postpone the retirement of its Ahmad Yani-class frigates amid operational requirements that necessitate continued service of the platforms for about one more year, the service has confirmed with Jane’s .
Citing a TNI-AL source from the service’s Western Fleet (KOARMABAR), Jane’s reported in February 2016 that the country will start to retire the first of its six Ahmad Yani-class frigates in 2017. This decision was made at the 2016 iteration of an annual naval technical and logistics work plan meeting, and the intention then was to retire the class at a rate of one ship a year from 2017 to 2022.
However, given current progress of the Martadinata (SIGMA 10514)-class’ induction, and ongoing service obligations, this schedule has since been delayed by about one more year to ensure that there are no operational gaps in the fleet’s deployment capacity especially in the Natuna Sea where there is now an increasing number of unregulated fishing cases, said the TNI-AL.
TNI-AL's Ahmad Yani-class frigate, KRI Abdul Halim Perdanakusuma. Source: TNI-AL
