Indonesia launches Southeast Asia's largest destroyer.
KRI Balaputradeva, the first Merah Putih-class destroyer built entirely domestically by Indonesia based on the British Arrowhead 140 design, was launched on December 18, 2025, marking a new milestone in the two-warship licensed program.
Indonesia has officially launched its first Merah Putih-class destroyer, named KRI Balaputradeva, touted as the largest destroyer in Southeast Asia. The event, which took place on December 18, 2025, marks the country's successful domestic construction of a large warship.
The launching ceremony was held at the facility of the state-owned shipbuilding company PT PAL Indonesia in Surabaya. This is the lead ship in a program of two destroyers based on the British Arrowhead 140 design, developed by Babcock International and delivered to Indonesia under license.
Shipbuilding progress and launching process
According to Naval News, the construction of KRI Balaputradeva began with steel cutting in December 2022. This officially marked the start of the program to build the first Merah Putih-class destroyer.
Subsequently, keel laying was carried out in August 2023, marking the beginning of the hull assembly phase. By December 18, 2025, the vessel was technically ready for launching, moving from the dry dock into the water.
The warship is named after Balaputradeva, a king of the 9th-century Srivijaya maritime empire who controlled important sea lanes in Southeast Asia. This choice of name reflects the connection between the new destroyer program and Indonesia's maritime heritage.
Following its launch, KRI Balaputradeva will enter the final equipment phase and sea trials before being handed over to the Indonesian Navy. The exact date of the ship's official deployment has not yet been announced.
The Arrowhead 140 contract and the 2-destroyer program.
In April 2020, the Indonesian Ministry of Defence selected the Arrowhead 140 destroyer project and signed a licensee manufacturing contract with domestic enterprises. This provided the legal basis for the program to build two Merah Putih-class destroyers.
By December 2022, Jakarta emphasized that the delivery of the first and second destroyers to the Indonesian Navy was expected to take place 57 and 69 months, respectively, from the contract signing date. In this context, the launch of KRI Balaputradeva at the end of 2025 reflects the progress of the program according to the announced timelines.
In 2020, Babcock modernized the Arrowhead 140 project to meet Indonesia's specific requirements. These adjustments formed the basis for the Merah Putih variant, which is fully built at PT PAL but still based on the design architecture and technology transfer package from its British partner.
Weapon configuration and combat systems
According to published information, the Merah Putih-class destroyer will be equipped with a high-firepower weapons system, including vertical launch systems for air defense and attack.
- 24 short-range anti-aircraft missile launchers
- 32 medium/long-range anti-aircraft missile launchers
- 16 launch tubes for assault weapons
- 2 OTO Melara 76 mm automatic cannons
The configuration of 24 short-range anti-aircraft missile launchers combined with 32 medium/long-range anti-aircraft missile launchers allows for the construction of a multi-layered air defense architecture, capable of engaging both close-range targets and airborne threats at longer distances.
The cluster of 16 attack weapon launch tubes provides the capability to carry various types of attack missiles, thereby enhancing anti-ship or anti-land attack capabilities depending on the type of ammunition integrated. Specific information about the type of missiles used has not been released, but the number of launch tubes suggests a significant offensive firepower orientation for this class of ship.
Two OTO Melara 76 mm automatic cannons serve as multi-purpose artillery firepower, capable of being used in close-range anti-ship and anti-air combat, and providing fire support for shore-based forces, depending on the type of ammunition used.
The ship's information and combat systems were developed by Havelsan (Türkiye). The main radar systems on board were also supplied by Havelsan. The seamless integration of radar and combat management systems from the same supplier enhances the ability to share sensor data, improving the effectiveness of detection, tracking, and target designation for the ship's weapons.
Implications for Indonesian naval capabilities and the region.
The launching of KRI Balaputradeva – the first in the Merah Putih class – demonstrates Indonesia's gradual improvement in its domestic large-scale surface vessel construction capabilities, based on foreign designs and licenses. From merely receiving completed vessels, Jakarta is shifting to self-manufacturing with the direct participation of its domestic defense industry.
Introduced as the largest destroyer in Southeast Asia, the Merah Putih-class, with its configuration of multiple vertical launch tubes for air defense and attack, along with modern radar and combat systems, will significantly enhance the regional air defense capabilities and long-range combat capabilities of the Indonesian Navy when officially commissioned.
Given Indonesia's crucial maritime network, the arrival of a new class of destroyers with modern combat capabilities, built entirely domestically, is a significant step in the modernization of its navy and reflects efforts to expand the role of the state-owned military shipbuilding industry PT PAL. (According to Naval News.)
