Indonesia’s Tank Boat launched in East Java

A consortium of Indonesian firms, spearheaded by state-owned defence company PT Pindad, has launched a prototype of the indigenously developed Tank Boat catamaran combat vessel. The unveiling took place in the waters off Banyuwangi, East Java, on 28 April.

In a statement released the following day, PT Pindad expressed, “It is hoped that the Tank Boat can support the Indonesian Armed Forces [TNI] in conducting patrols along Indonesia’s seas, rivers, and coasts, and also support coast guard operations.” The vessel is also expected to transport troops and provide both close- and long-range fire support using gun or missile weaponry.

The Tank Boat is based on PT Lundin Industry Invest’s X18 Tank Boat platform. PT Len Industri and PT Hariff Daya Tunggal Engineering will supply the communications equipment and battle management system (BMS), respectively.

First revealed by PT Lundin as the Fire Support Vessel (FSV) concept at the 2014 Indodefence exhibition in Jakarta, the design features an 18-meter-long and 6.6-meter-wide foil-assisted catamaran hull made primarily from carbon composite material. This design allows the vessel to operate in shallow waters with a draft of just one meter.

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The Tank Boat is powered by a pair of 1,200hp MAN V8 engines and MJP450 waterjets, enabling it to reach a top speed of 40 knots. A 6,000-litre fuel tank supports extended operations, allowing the vessel to travel distances of up to 600 nautical miles at 9 knots. It will be operated by a four-person crew and can accommodate up to 60 troops.

Initially, the company partnered with Belgium’s CMI Defence to equip the X18 concept with a 105mm rifled gun. However, the prototype features the Cockerill Protected Weapon Station Gen 2 turret armed with a 30mm automatic cannon instead. Concept art of the Tank Boat has also depicted a variant equipped with stern-mounted launchers for missiles.