Indonesia Begins Construction of Two Scorpène Submarines

Indonesia has entered the physical construction phase for two Scorpène submarines after PT PAL Indonesia and French defence company Naval Group initiated the first steel cutting process in July 2026. This stage began ahead of the original schedule, which had targeted September. Production Director of PT PAL Indonesia, Diana Rosa, stated that the acceleration was possible after the two firms completed the qualification section, a verification stage ensuring the readiness of human resources, manufacturing processes, production facilities, and quality control systems in line with world-class submarine construction standards. “This programme is a long-term investment to enhance the competence of Indonesian engineers, strengthen the national industry, and build a high-tech manufacturing ecosystem capable of competing globally,” Diana said. She noted that the successful completion of this phase demonstrates that the technology transfer process is running effectively and has significantly improved the skills of Indonesian engineers in mastering high-precision manufacturing technology. As part of this process, PT PAL has dispatched dozens of engineers to Naval Group facilities in France for intensive training covering welding, construction engineering, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and quality control. These competencies were then directly applied during the qualification section, which was verified by the Naval Group team. Naval Group Programme Director Vincent Vimont said the successful qualification section demonstrates PT PAL’s readiness as a strategic partner in modern submarine construction. “This collaboration is not just about building two submarines, but about building a sustainable industrial capability foundation,” Vimont said. The Republic of Indonesia Scorpène Submarine Programme is a follow-up to a contract signed in 2024 between the Ministry of Defence, Naval Group, and PT PAL Indonesia to build two 1,800-2,800 tonne submarines. The entire construction process will be carried out in Indonesia by Indonesian engineers under a comprehensive technology transfer scheme. The programme is expected to strengthen national strategic technology mastery, enhance defence industry capacity and human resource competence, and drive the formation of a high-tech manufacturing ecosystem domestically. Through this project, PT PAL aims to advance its capabilities to achieve whole local production, enabling the complete construction of submarines domestically with technological support from Naval Group. Beyond strengthening defence industrial capability, the construction of the two Scorpène submarines is projected to generate broad economic impact by absorbing over 2,000 workers and involving various domestic industries in the national supply chain.