Indonesia formally receives, commissions two new indigenous Teluk Bintuni-class Landing Ships Tank

 

The two new Teluk Bintuni-class LSTs, the KRI Teluk Weda and KRI Teluk Wondama. Photo c/o Indonesian Ministry of Defence.

The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) has formally received two new indigenously-designed and built Teluk Bintuni-class Landing Ships Tank (LST) on 26 October 2021.

The ships, named KRI Teluk Weda (526) and KRI Teluk Wondama (527), were built by PT  Bandar Abadi Shipbuilders and Drydocks, and was launched in the company's Batam facility with Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto leading the event.

Also present were the Director of PT Bandar Abadi, Maslina Simanjuntak, Head of the Defence Facilities Agency of Ministry of Defence Yusuk Jauhari, and several other high ranking officers from the TNI-AL and the Indonesian Armed Force (TNI).

The name Teluk Weda (Wada Bay) was taken from the name of a bay located in Central Halmahera, Central Weda District, North Maluku., while the name Teluk Wondama (Wondama Bay) was taken from the name of the Bay in the Bird's Head area of ​​Papua Island.

The Teluk Bintuni-class have an overall length of 117 meters,  a width of 16.40 meters, a height of 7.80 meters, with a maximum speed of 16 knots, also has an endurance of 20 days and a crew of 111 crew.

In addition, these two tank transports are capable of carrying 367 troops, 15 units of BMP-3F Tanks and one helicopter.

The construction of the two ships was completed by PT Bandar Abadi in just 25 months or five months faster than the specified time of 30 months.

The commissioning of the two new landing ships tank is expected to fulfill the government's efforts to encourage the independence of the domestic defence industry, while reducing dependence on the foreign defence industry.




[1] Indonesian Ministry of Defence