Latest Indonesian Submarine Named After Mahabharat Weapon
President Jokowi of Indonesia visited state-owned ship builders PT PAL Indonesia where he inspected a brand new submarine. The submarine was launched in June last year and underwent its first nominal diving depth (NDD) phase, which is part of the Sea Acceptance Test earlier this month.
This sub has been built as part of an ongoing US$ 1.1 billion partnership between state-owned ship maker PT PAL Indonesia and South Korean Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering. The first two subs were built in South Korea while the third has been assembled in Indonesia making it the first locally-built submarine.
“I think this is good collaboration because there is a transfer of technology in the assembly of our submarine,” Jokowi said during the visit, adding that he hoped the nation could soon fully develop and assemble its own submarines. This submarine has been named as KRI ALUGORO.
The Alugoro was the weapon of Baladev the elder brother of Lord Krishna, the focal figure in the Hindu Mahabharata epic. The weapon, a Gada (club) with two pointy ends, was said to have magnificent and massive destructive power. The strength of the weapon inspired the name of Indonesia’s first domestically assembled submarine: KRI Alugoro 405.
The 61.3-meter KRI Alugoro 405 has a crew of 40 and can remain on patrol for up to 50 days. With a speed of 11 knots when surfaced and 21.5 knots when under water, the submarine can roam for 18,520 kilometres. The lifespan of the 1,460-ton vessel is projected to be 30 years.
The two other submarines, KRI Nagapasa 403 and KRI Ardadedali 404, were built and completed in South Korea in 2017 and 2018, respectively. “The success of assembling the Alugoro submarine has made Indonesia the only country in Southeast Asia to build a submarine,” the State Palace said in the statement.
KRI Alugoro 405 underwent a nominal diving depth (NDD) test in North Bali waters on Jan. 21, which is part of the mandatory sea acceptance evaluation. According to the information on PT PAL’s website, the NDD went according to plan, as the sub was able to go 250 meters under the surface.
