PT PAL Indonesia: Redefining naval shipbuilding with three strategic programmes

Few naval shipyards in the region are simultaneously constructing a first-of-class frigate, a submarine, and the largest export warship in their history. Today, PT PAL Indonesia is doing exactly that. In Surabaya, three strategic defence programmes are progressing side by side each representing a different level of engineering complexity, industrial maturity, and international confidence. Together they demonstrate how PT PAL has evolved from a national shipbuilder into an increasingly capable naval shipyard serving both Indonesia and international partners.

Beyond individual programmes, PT PAL now possesses an industrial capability rarely demonstrated by emerging naval shipbuilders. The company is simultaneously managing surface combatant production, submarine construction, export warship manufacturing, systems integration, technology transfer, and qualification to international naval standards within a single shipyard. This capability reflects years of investment in infrastructure, workforce development, digital transformation, quality assurance, and strategic partnerships with global defence companies.

PT PAL Indonesia’s strength lies not in a single programme, but in its ability to execute multiple complex naval projects simultaneously while maintaining international standards of quality, schedule, and engineering excellence. Today, the Surabaya shipyard is advancing three strategic programmes in parallel the Merah Putih Frigate, the Scorpène Evolved submarine, and Al Maryah, a 163metre Landing Platform Dock for the United Arab Emirates Navy. Together, these programmes demonstrate the company’s growing industrial maturity and its emergence as one of the region’s most capable naval shipbuilders.

The Merah Putih Frigate programme highlights PT PAL’s capability to build advanced surface combatants with increasingly higher domestic industrial participation, while the Scorpène Evolved programme marks a significant milestone in mastering one of the most demanding disciplines in naval engineering. Successfully qualifying for submarine construction reflects PT PAL’s ability to meet stringent international standards through technology transfer, specialised manufacturing, and the development of highly skilled Indonesian engineers and technicians.

At the same time, the Al Maryah programme represents PT PAL’s largest naval export project to date and demonstrates the confidence that international partners place in Indonesia’s defence manufacturing capability. The Al Maryah 163 metre landing platform dock for the UAE Navy is the largest export order PT PAL has ever taken. The contract was signed in Abu Dhabi on 1 July 2022 during President Joko Widodo’s visit, alongside the package of agreements that shaped the Indonesia-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Al Maryah is built upon a platform with a proven operational track record. PT PAL has previously developed hospital ships based on the same Landing Platform Dock (LPD) platform for the Indonesian Navy, demonstrating the design’s adaptability across both defence and humanitarian roles. In 2024, one of these vessels, KRI dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat-992, supported Indonesia’s humanitarian mission to Gaza. The mission these vessels demonstrate the design’s versatility, capable of supporting both military operations and humanitarian missions.

PT PAL is now working towards launching Al Maryah at the end of 2026. Launch is not the same as delivery. It puts the hull in the water and moves the ship to the fitting-out quay, where systems integration, harbour trials and sea trials still lie ahead before handover to the UAE Navy. Delivering a vessel of this scale while concurrently executing frigate and submarine programmes underscores PT PAL’s production capacity, engineering expertise, and programme management capability qualities essential for supporting complex naval procurement on a global scale.

For international customers, capability matters more than promises. PT PAL’s ability to execute three strategic naval programmes simultaneously demonstrates schedule discipline, engineering maturity, production scalability, and industrial resilience. These are the capabilities that increasingly position Indonesia as a credible partner in the global defence shipbuilding industry.

Together, these programmes represent more than individual shipbuilding achievements. They reflect PT PAL’s transformation into a trusted defence industrial partner capable of delivering advanced naval platforms for both domestic and international customers. By combining world class engineering, a skilled workforce, and collaboration with national and global industry partners, PT PAL continues to strengthen Indonesia’s position in the global defence shipbuilding industry.