Companies
A crew member of a Scorpene submarine stands on the bridge of the sail while other members work on deck in an undisclosed location in this undated picture. (Courtesy of Naval Group/-)
State-owned shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia has begun the physical construction of two Scorpène-class submarines in a partnership with France’s Naval Group, marking a significant milestone in Indonesia’s push to modernize its naval defense forces.The project entered the steel-cutting phase days ago, two months earlier than the original September target.
PAL Indonesia production director Diana Rosa confirmed the early start on Thursday, attributing it to the successful completion of the qualification phase.
"This program is a long-term investment to enhance the competence of Indonesian engineers, strengthen the national defense industry and develop a high-tech manufacturing ecosystem capable of competing globally," Diana said in a statement, as quoted by state-owned news agency Antara.
