On 2 July, PT PAL Indonesia and Naval Group organised a press tour of PT PAL’s submarine construction and maintenance facilities in Surabaya, East Java, to showcase preparations for the start of construction of two Scorpène Evolved submarines for the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) under the Scorpène Republik Indonesia (SRI) programme. The visit highlighted the progress both companies have made in infrastructure, workforce training, and production readiness as Indonesia moves closer to building the French-designed submarines domestically.
Naval Group SRI Programme Director, Vincent Vimont, revealed that the first steel cutting for the lead Scorpène submarine will take place this month, with testing and sea trials scheduled between 2030 and 2032 ahead of delivery in 2032.
Construction of the second submarine is set to begin in 2027, followed by testing and sea trials between 2031 and 2033, with delivery planned for 2033. As Naval News previously reported in 2024, PT PAL will therefore build the two submarines in parallel, with a one-year gap between them. PT PAL also suggested that the timeline could be accelerated if construction progresses smoothly.
Both companies said the project will create around 2,250 jobs, including roles in support services and post-delivery maintenance. They added that further orders for Scorpène submarines would create even more jobs. Moreover, Naval Group said its team on the Indonesian programme includes personnel who previously supported Scorpène local production in India and Brazil, allowing Indonesia to benefit from lessons learned from both countries.
According to the Head of PT PAL Submarine Division, Agus Rifai, the company’s existing production space can support the simultaneous construction or MRO of up to four Scorpène submarines. He added that PT PAL will also use equipment, facilities, and experience from its earlier Type-209 submarine programme for the Scorpène project.
Technology, Sensors, and Weapons
Naval Group said the submarine will feature acoustic discretion technology similar to that used on France’s nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). The design will also include the SUBTICS combat system, fully integrated acoustic and non-acoustic sensors, an enhanced sonar suite with a planar array, and advanced signal processing.
With its full lithium-ion battery configuration, the submarine will have a mission endurance of up to 80 days.
The submarine will be able to carry a mixed load of up to 18 heavyweight torpedoes and SM39 Exocet missiles. Responding to a Naval News question, Naval Group confirmed that Scorpène Evolved will be able to fire the next-generation submarine-launched Exocet, the SM40, which MBDA is currently developing.
Moreover, during the press tour, it was revealed that the Indonesian Navy joined the Scorpène Club in 2025, becoming its newest member alongside Brazil, Chile, India, and Malaysia.
Export Potentials & Future Collaboration
PT PAL RDI Programme Director, RADM (Ret.) Wiranto, who served on Indonesian Navy’s Whiskey-class and Type-209 submarines, said the Scorpène Evolved project forms part of Phase II of Indonesia’s National Submarine Technology Mastery Programme, which aims to enable the country to design, build, and eventually export its own indigenous submarines between 2042 and 2050.
PT PAL and Naval Group revealed that they have discussed the possibility of using Indonesia as a joint production site for Scorpène submarines ordered by other countries, as well as a hub for MRO work on other navies’ Scorpène fleets.
However, responding to Naval News’ question, Naval Group said such cooperation would require a new formal agreement, as the current contract does not grant Indonesia the right to market or sell the Scorpène to third countries.
Both PT PAL and Naval Group representatives said they are exploring broader cooperation beyond the Scorpène programme, as Naval Group has also offered other products, including technology transfer related to weapon systems such as missiles and torpedoes.
Regarding the possibility of Indonesia ordering additional Scorpène Evolved submarines, both companies confirmed that negotiations are still ongoing.
