Indonesia’s submarine sinking highlights military’s shortfalls

The archipelago’s armed forces began a modernisation programme in 2007, but face increasing maritime challenges.

Surabaya, Indonesia – As Indonesian authorities announced this week that a salvage operation involving Chinese underwater rescue vessels had managed to recover “debris” from the KRI Nanggala-402 submarine, which sank off the coast of Bali last month, questions have been raised about the state of the country’s military and its operational readiness. Rescuers have so far been unable to locate the main body of the stricken vessel which sank on April 21 while conducting live-fire torpedo exercises. It is thought that the submarine – with 53 crew on board – suffered a mechanical failure and sank to a depth of more than 840 metres (2,755 feet), well below its crush depth of 300 metres (984 feet), causing it to break into three pieces.