LAMPUNG — March 22, 2026 : The Indonesian Navy has officially received its second Multipurpose Combat Ship (PPA), KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321), following its arrival at the Lampung Naval Base on the southern tip of Sumatra after completing a transcontinental voyage from Italy.
The vessel entered Indonesian waters via the Sunda Strait, where it was formally welcomed by the domestically built corvette KRI Bung Karno (369) before proceeding to its berth. The arrival marks the completion of Indonesia’s two-ship PPA acquisition programme.
Transit Route and Voyage Details
KRI Prabu Siliwangi departed from La Spezia Naval Base in Italy on February 11, 2026, beginning a journey of approximately several thousand nautical miles to Southeast Asia.
Unlike its sister ship, KRI Brawijaya (320), which transited through the Suez Canal, the second vessel followed an alternate route around the African continent via the Cape of Good Hope. During the transit, the ship conducted scheduled port calls in Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Mauritius.
While the Indonesian Navy has not formally detailed the rationale for the route selection, defence observers indicate that security considerations and regional instability in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden influenced the decision to avoid the traditional Suez route.
Vessel Background and Procurement
KRI Prabu Siliwangi is part of a €1.18 billion (approximately $1.3 billion) procurement contract signed on March 28, 2024, between Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
The ship was originally constructed for the Italian Navy under the name Ruggiero di Lauria (P435) before being reassigned to Indonesia to meet urgent requirements for large surface combatants. Its sister ship, KRI Brawijaya, was also reallocated under the same agreement.
The acquisition was supported by financing arrangements involving European institutions, including BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole, and SACE.
Design and Technical Specifications
The vessel is a Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA), measuring approximately 143 metres in length and displacing over 6,200 tonnes at full load. It is equipped with a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) propulsion system, enabling speeds exceeding 31 knots.
Designed for multi-role operations, the PPA platform supports missions including frontline combat, maritime patrol, surveillance, search and rescue, and civil protection.
The ship has a crew complement of approximately 171 personnel and incorporates modern combat management systems and sensor suites.
Commissioning, Trials, and Command
KRI Prabu Siliwangi was commissioned on December 22, 2025, at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano, La Spezia, before undergoing extensive sea trials in the Mediterranean.
The trials included live-fire evaluations of its primary armament systems, notably the Oto Melara 127 mm main gun and the 76 mm Sovraponte secondary gun.
The vessel is commanded by Colonel Kurniawan Koes Atmadja, an experienced officer who has previously commanded KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda (365) and KRI John Lie (358).
Configuration and Planned Upgrades
The ship has been delivered in a “Light Plus” configuration, which includes core combat systems but does not yet incorporate its full missile armament.
The Indonesian Navy has confirmed plans to upgrade both PPA vessels—KRI Prabu Siliwangi and KRI Brawijaya—to a full combat configuration. This upgrade phase is expected to include the domestic installation of missile systems, with the Aster 30 surface-to-air missile identified as the preferred option for vertical launch integration.
Fincantieri has indicated that the vessels were delivered with provisions to support such upgrades, allowing integration work to be carried out within Indonesian shipyards.
Strategic Context
The induction of KRI Prabu Siliwangi enhances Indonesia’s blue-water naval capabilities, providing increased operational reach and flexibility across the Indo-Pacific region.
As part of a broader naval modernisation programme, the acquisition supports Indonesia’s objective of strengthening maritime security, safeguarding sea lines of communication, and expanding its capacity to conduct multi-domain operations.
The arrival of the second PPA vessel completes the initial phase of the programme and represents a step forward in the Indonesian Navy’s ongoing efforts to modernise its surface fleet with advanced, multi-role platforms.
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