Warships assemble in the Jakarta Bay

JAKARTA (JP): Seventy-two Indonesian and foreign warships, from frigates to destroyers, assembled in Jakarta Bay yesterday in perhaps one of the largest gatherings of naval forces seen since the U.S led multinational forces in the Persian Gulf during the war against Iraq in 1991.

The fleet review, inspected by President Soeharto, culminated the Indonesian Navy's Arung Samudra 1995 event commemorating 50 years of independence.

The two other main events on the Arung Samudra agenda, the tall ship and yacht races, finished last week.

President Soeharto, Vice President Try Sutrisno and other dignitaries inspected the ships from the Indonesian Navy's Barakuda and Kerapu respectively, both are fast patrol boats built by the state shipyard PT PAL.

The slightly overcast weather did not dampen the spirit of the fleet review, with some of the crew on board the Indonesian warships chanting Merdeka (Freedom) to greet Soeharto and his entourage.

Also on board the inspecting vessels were the 13 navy chiefs of staff and dozens of senior naval officers from various other countries invited for the occasion.

The dignitaries also sailed past 18 tall ships and over 100 yachts anchored off Tanjung Priok port.

On board the Barakuda, the Indonesian head of state presented the President Soeharto Trophy to the captain of Dewa Ruci, the Indonesian Navy's training sailing ship, which won the tall ship race.

While sailing back to Tanjung Priok harbor after the inspection, President Soeharto and the dignitaries were treated to a golden formation flypast by helicopters based on Indonesian and foreign warships.

The Indonesian Navy put virtually its entire fleet into the review, including the KRI Oswald Siahaan, KRI Nanggala, KRI Hasanuddin, KRI Imam Bonjol, and KRI Christina Martha Tiahahu.

According to the list provided by Arung Samudra organizers, the foreign warships taking part included the USS Mobile Bay and USS Rodney M. Davis from the United States, the HMS Sheffield and HMS Brambeleaf from the United Kingdom, the HMAS Darwin, HMAS Torrens, HMAS Wollongung and HMAS Whyala from Australia, the JDS Mineyuki and JDS Hamayuke from Japan, the HrMS Van Nes and HrMS Van Galen from the Netherlands, and the DD-116, FF-540 and AO-615 from China.

Brunei sent the KDB Waspada and KDB Seteria, while Italy sent the San Agusto. New Zealand was represented by the HMNZS Waikato and HMNZS Endeavour, Pakistan the PNS Nasr and PNS Shamshar, and Thailand the HTMS Chad Praya and HTMS Kraburi. (emb)