Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali inaugurated two Fast Patrol Warships (PC 60) − KRI Hampala-880 and KRI Lumba-Lumba-881 − produced by domestic shipbuilder PT. Caputra Mitra Sejati in a ceremony held at the Sunda Kelapa Pier in North Jakarta, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
On the occasion, the Navy Chief also inaugurated Major Hariz Sandy Wibowo as Commander of KRI Hampala-880 and Lieutenant Colonel Guntur Prastyawan as Commander of KRI Lumba-Lumba-881.
The KRI Hampala-880 will be stationed under the Patrol Ship Unit of the Navy’s 9th Naval Base in Merauke, South Papua province, while KRI Lumba-Lumba-881 will be under the Patrol Ship Unit of the Navy’s 13th Naval Base in Tarakan, North Kalimantan province.
Addressing the ceremony, Admiral Ali said that the inauguration of the two warships is part of the modernization program of the Navy’s main weapons system (Alutsista).
“The construction of these ships reflects our close collaboration with the national defense industry. I hope that national shipyards will continue to innovate and increase their capacity so that they can help reduce our dependence on foreign products, while strengthening the nation’s independence in the defense sector,” he said.
He emphasized that KRI Hampala-880 and KRI Lumba-Lumba-881 are expected to be able to fully perform tasks in their respective work areas. “With this new condition, it is hoped that the ships will be able to maintain sovereignty and law enforcement throughout Indonesian waters,” he added.
The PC 60 ship is 61.20 meters in length, 8.50 meters in width, and has a maximum speed of 24 knots, and a cruising speed of 17 knots. This ship uses 2 MTU 20 V 4000 M 73 L main propulsion engines with a capacity of 2050 RPM/3600 KW. The ship is capable of carrying out various missions, including law enforcement at sea, infiltration and exfiltration operations, and search and rescue (SAR) missions.
The ship is equipped with one Marlin Ilos 40 mm caliber cannon as the main weapon and two 12.7 mm caliber submachine guns made by State-owned arms manufacturer PT Pindad. These advantages make the ship capable of operating in various extreme terrain and weather conditions.
Defense equipment modernization
The inauguration of the two PC 60 ships is also a manifestation of the Indonesian Navy’s commitment to supporting the Increased Use of Domestic Products (P3DN). This measure is expected to reduce dependence on imported products while supporting national economic growth. In addition, it emphasizes Indonesia’s role in the global supply chain, especially in the defense industry.
The Indonesian Navy is also attempting to improve its operational capabilities with modern domestically made defense equipment to maintain the sovereignty and security of Indonesian waters.
The names “Hampala” and “Lumba-Lumba” have symbolic meanings that reflect the character of the ship. “Hampala,” which refers to a type of freshwater fish, symbolizes strength and unyielding fighting spirit. Meanwhile, “Lumba-Lumba” reflects agility, intelligence, and extraordinary navigation capabilities in the ocean.
