KRI Bung Karno explained

KRI Bung Karno (369) is a corvette and presidential yacht of the Indonesian Navy. Designated as "VVIP and Presidential Helicopter-carrying Guided-missile Corvette" (Indonesian: Korvet Rudal Heli VVIP dan Kepresidenan),^[1] the ship was named after the First President of Indonesia Sukarno and entered service in June 2023.

Design and description

Bung Karno has a length of 73m (240feet), beam of 12m (39feet), and displacement of 650t. The corvette is powered by two diesel engines generating 4000kW. The ship has a top speed of 24kn and cruising speed of 20kn. Bung Karno has a complement of 55 personnel.^[2]

The ship will be armed with one Leonardo's OTO Marlin 40 turret, two 20 mm autocannons and MBDA SIMBAD surface-to-air missiles. The corvette was planned to be fitted with torpedo and sonar in the future.^[3] Bung Karno also able to carry a Eurocopter AS565 Panther helicopter and has a flight deck similar to .

In its role as presidential yacht, Bung Karno will be replacing . The ship was planned to have bulletproof VVIP accommodation and able to function as command ship in times of emergency.^{[4] [5]}

Construction and career

Contract for the construction of the corvette was signed on 25 May 2022. The ship's construction was begun with first steel cutting and keel laying ceremony on 9 June 2022 at PT Karimun Anugrah Sejati shipyard in Batam, Riau Islands.^{[6] [7]} On 20 June, the corvette was officially named as KRI Bung Karno (369) in the ship naming ceremony by then-Chief of Staff of the Navy Admiral Yudo Margono and Megawati Sukarnoputri, the 5th President of Indonesia and daughter of the ship's namesake.^[2]

The ship was launched on 19 April 2023. The ship was launched by Chief of Staff of the Navy Admiral Muhammad Ali.^{[8] [9]} Bung Karno was commissioned on 1 June 2023, coinciding with Pancasila Day public holiday, at Military Sealift Command Headquarters in North Jakarta. The commissioning ceremony was attended by high ranking officers of the Armed Forces and family members of the ship's namesake, including Megawati Sukarnoputri, Sukmawati Sukarnoputri, Guruh Sukarnoputra, and Puan Maharani.^[10]

Bung Karno took part in the 4th Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2023 which was held in the Makassar Strait on 5–7 June 2023. The Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces and a number of the participating navies' commanders were present on the corvette to review the joint exercise.^[11]

References

1. Web site: TNI Bangun Kapal Kepresidenan Anti Peluru di Batam . tvonenews.com . 9 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 . ID.
2. Web site: Diresmikan Megawati, Ini Spesifikasi Kapal Korvet "KRI Bung Karno-369" . Kompas.com . 20 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 . ID.
3. Web site: KRI Bung Karno 369 – Kapal Kepresidenan RI, Korvet Rasa OPV . indomiliter.com . 21 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 . ID.
4. Web site: PT KAS Dipercaya Buat Kapal KRH VVIP dan Kepresidenan . detaknews.co.id . 9 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 . ID.
5. Web site: KRI Bung Karno, kapal Korvet Rudal Heli (KRH) VVIP untuk pergerakan RI-1 . airspace-review.com . 18 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 . ID.
6. Web site: Indonesian shipyard begins work on new missile-capable ‘president ship' . Janes.com . 22 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 . subscription.
7. Web site: Indonesian Shipyard KAS Begins Work on New Presidential Guided-missile Corvette . militaryleak.com . 26 June 2022 . 26 December 2022 .
8. Web site: Malufti . Fauzan . Indonesia Launches New Presidential Corvette . NavalNews.com . 20 April 2023 . 20 April 2023.
9. Web site: Wiyoga . Pandu . Kapal Kepresidenan Buatan Batam Diluncurkan . Kompas.id . 19 April 2023 . 20 April 2023 . limited . ID.
10. Web site: Soekarnoputri launches warship Bung Karno on Pancasila Day . ANTARAnews.com . 2 June 2023 . 2 June 2023.
11. Web site: Arman . Reny Sri Ayu . Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo di Makassar Diikuti Angkatan Laut 36 Negara . Kompas.id . 5 June 2023 . 26 August 2023 . limited . ID.