KRI Keris-624 sharpens combat capability with live-fire naval gun exercise

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian Navy vessel KRI Keris-624 held a live-fire naval gun exercise to sharpen its personnel’s combat skills and ensure its main weapons systems were functioning properly.

A statement from the Navy’s Second Fleet Command (Koarmada II), received in Jakarta on Thursday, said the exercise took place in the Bali Sea on Wednesday (28 October).

Navy Information Service chief First Admiral TNI Tunggul said the crew used several guns during the exercise.

“KRI Keris-624 personnel fired the 57 mm, 40 mm and 20 mm guns,” Tunggul said.

The crew also practised firing M4 5.56 mm small arms.

In the same statement, KRI Keris-624 commander Lieutenant Colonel (Sea) Romi Iskandar Hasibuan said that before holding the exercise, the vessel had carried out a monitoring and security assignment involving Australian warship HMAS Choules as it passed through the Bali Sea.

“Monitoring foreign warships is part of the Indonesian Navy’s duty to monitor the movements of foreign vessels and safeguard security in waters under Indonesia’s jurisdiction,” Romi said.

Romi added that all activities, from the monitoring assignment to the live-fire exercise, had gone smoothly and safely.

He said he hoped the activities would further hone his personnel’s ability to operate weapons and monitor the area in order to safeguard Indonesia’s maritime sovereignty.