Three More Countries Plan to Buy Warships from Indonesia

Surabaya (Antara) - Three more countries plan to buy warships from Indonesia after earlier the Philippines ordered two units the type of "Strategic Sealift Vessel-1" (SSV). M Firmansyah Arifin, the president director of the state owned shipbuilding company, said the orders from foreign countries constitutes a challenge and a reflection of confidence in the reputation of the company. "Many countries have indicated interest in our products. Currently three countries agreed to cooperate with us in building warships," he said . He refused to give name of the countries beyond saying most of them are Southeast Asian countries. He said the warships wanted by the three countries are the type of Landing Platform Dock (LPD). Earlier, PT PAL Indonesia delivered two units of warship the type of Strategic Sealift Vessel-1 (SSV) for its defense ministry. Firmansyah, the warships measured 123 meter long and 21.8 meter wide at a price of US$90 million with a deal signed after a tight and long international tender. The warhips could carry four tanks , four trucks , a mobile hospital and two jeeps and two helicopters with a maximum speed of 16 knots and machine capacity of 2 x 2,920 kW. (*)