Indonesian shipbuilder buys Babcock Arrowhead 140 frigate design, license to build 2 ships

The Arrowhead-140 frigate design from UK's Babcock. Photo c/o Naval News.

As part of the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2021 defense exhibition in London, British defense company Babcock has announced that a deal has been reached to sell the Arrowhead-140 frigate design license to Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL (Persero).

The license includes the PT PAL enabling to build 2 Arrowhead-140 frigates for the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL), with modification specific to their requirements.

Babcock will provide support to PT PAL to works related to the Arrowhead-140 frigate.

Babcock CEO David Lockwood signed the agreement with PT PAL CEO Kaharuddin Djenod aboard the HMS Argyll, and was witnessed by Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto and UK Defence Secretary Rt Hon Ben Wallace MP.

Mr. Lockwood said that the product is a readily transferrable designthat can be tailored to the customer’s needs as part of their portfolio, and that the frigates being built in Indonesia by the local workforce will contribute to social and economic value of its sovereign shipbuilding community.

Min. Wallace said that the deal signals the strength of the two country’s defense relationship, with their naval forces to operate a similar frigate design in the future and working closely together to protect their mutual interests around the world.

The Arrowhead-140 design was selected by the Royal Navy as the basis for the its Type 31 Inspiration-class frigates, while also shortlisted with the Polish Navy’s Miecznik (Swordfish) frigate program.

Indonesia is currently on a massive shopping of frigates, with the Indonesian Ministry of Defence recently signing a deal with Italy's Fincantieri to build 6 FREMM large frigates including 2 ships locally also with PT PAL, and 2 refurbished Maestrale-class frigates formerly with the Italian Navy.

It also has an ongoing discussion with the Japanese Ministry of Defense to potentially procure up to 8 frigates based on the Mogami-class designed for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.

These procurements were pushed as Indonesia faces increased maritime and sovereignty threats with an increasingly-aggressive China claiming parts of the Indonesian 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone in the Natuna Islands as part of its so-called 9-Dash Line claims in the South China Sea.




[1] Naval News
[2] Shephard Media
[3] Marine Link