US Warship Crosses Malacca Strait, This is the Indonesian Navy's Response
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - A US Navy warship crossed the Malacca Strait over the weekend. The Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) affirmed that the passage remains in accordance with international legal provisions.
TNI AL spokesperson, First Admiral Tunggul, stated that the warship transited the strategic route bordering Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore on Saturday (18/4/2026).
“Every vessel, including warships, transiting those waters has the right of transit passage in straits used for international navigation,” said Tunggul, quoted from Reuters on Monday (20/4/2026).
TNI AL emphasised that foreign vessels do have transit rights but must still comply with regulations. This reaffirms Indonesia’s commitment to safeguarding its maritime sovereignty while respecting international law of the sea.
“All vessels exercising their transit rights are obliged to respect coastal states and must not violate the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea,” Tunggul stressed.
Meanwhile, from the US military side, the Indo-Pacific Command confirmed that the vessel was the USS Miguel Keith, based in Japan. The ship is said to be conducting routine operations under the US Seventh Fleet.
Indo-Pacific Command spokesperson, Commander Matthew Comer, did not disclose details of the ship’s mission. He only affirmed that the US Navy has a policy of not discussing movements or future operations for security reasons.
“USS Miguel Keith is currently operating as part of the routine activities of the Seventh Fleet,” said Comer.
He also revealed that the ship underwent maintenance in South Korea in early April before resuming operations.
In terms of specifications, the USS Miguel Keith is a ship approximately 240 metres long, designed as a floating command base. It is capable of supporting various operations, from launching helicopters and small boats to providing accommodation for troops as well as command and control facilities.
The Malacca Strait itself is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, stretching about 900 kilometres. This route connects Asia with the Middle East and Europe, and is traversed by around 25% of global trade.