Indonesia to Buy Danish Warship: Is it the Iver Huitfeldt-class Frigate?

According to Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the government through the Ministry of Defense plan to buy an Ocean Going warship from Denmark. The ship is presumed to be the Iver Huitfeldt-class Frigate.

"I see that Mr Prabowo (Minister of Defense) have the navy to buy ocean going (ship), will buy it from Denmark. It is indeed a ship that is Ocean Going which is 138 to 150 meters (in length). So this frigate can sail in the open sea," Luhut said in Jakarta, Friday, as reported by CNBC Indonesia (1/17/2020).

According to CNBC Indonesia on Monday (1/20/2020), referring to the information regarding where the ship is being made and the size, the type of ship that will be bought may be an Iver Huitfeldt Class.

Related articles:

• Amid the Northern Natuna Sea Dispute: Japan Will Grant Fisheries Monitoring Vessels to Indonesia 
• Indonesian Armed Forces Continue Patrols as 30 Foreign Ships Detected in the North Natuna Sea
• Natuna Dispute: Indonesia to Send 120 Fishermen to Prevent China's Exploitation

F361 Iver Huitfeldt in Aarhus, January 2012. Source: Wikimedia

Iver Huitfeldt is Denmark-made frigate which has a capacity of more than 100 people with dimensions of 138.7 meters long and 19.81 meters wide. The standard load of this ship is up to 5850 tons while the full load can reach 6,645 tons.

Moreover, referring to report by Jane's Navy International (03/12/2019), Indonesians had already express their interest in Iver Huitfeldt-class Frigate since March 2019. A variant of Denmark's Iver Huitfeldt class was proposed to be included in Indonesia's USD720 million two-frigate acquisition program.

Luhut said that the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) will also need bigger ships. Indonesian Parliament will discuss a bill which will turn Bakamla into Coast Guard.

“After (the appointment of) Bakamla is completed, we want similar vessels as well. Probably not frigates, but we want our coast guard to be capable of sailing the Natuna Sea as well,” Luhut said, as reported in Jakarta Globe (1/17/2020).

Previously, Indonesian armed forces expelled as many as 30 ships from China which entered Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) illegally in the North Natuna Waters. China has claimed the area through the Nine Dash Line basis even though it is not supported by UNCLOS treaty which governs EEZ.

The detail of purchase is still remain unclear. However, the acquisition of an Iver Huitfeldt will require US $ 325 million or equivalent to Rp 4.55 trillion. The specification of the ship can be read from Military Today.

Read also: Anthrax Outbreak in Yogyakarta, Indonesia Under Control - 27 People Had Been Infected