Govt to Build 24 Fast Missile-Armed Ships until 2024

KRI Clurit-641.

January 4 2012, Batam: The government has set itself the target of building 24 fast ships equipped with guided missiles over the next 12 years until 2024, the Indonesian Navy`s top planning officer said.

After completion, the 24 fast ships would operate in western Indonesia and North Sulawesi waters, Rear Admiral Sumartono, assistant for planning affairs to the Navy Chief of Staff, said here Wednesday.

The fast ships were needed to patrol Indonesian seas where the waves were usually low, he said.

At present, the Navy already had two such fast ships, namely the KRI Clurit-641 and the KRI Kujang-642, which were made by national ship-builder PT Palindo Marine.

Sumartono was in Batam to accompany Deputy Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin to witness a sail-past by the KRI Kujang-642 from Batam island to Bintan island at a speed of 20 knots per hour.

PT Palindo wass at present building the third guided-missile carrying fast ship and was expected to complete six more units of the same type of ships by 2014.

Source: ANTARA News