On July 30, the KRI Brawijaya (pennant number 320) departed from the Italian Navy Arsenal in La Spezia. The ship is the first of two Italian-built PPA (Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura) units destined for the Indonesian Navy, which has officially classified them as frigates.
Originally constructed by Fincantieri as part of the Thaon di Revel-class for the Italian Navy, the vessel was never formally commissioned and was instead diverted directly for export to Jakarta.
Brawijaya is currently en route to Indonesia and has been tracked in the eastern Mediterranean, east of Crete, thanks to its active AIS transponder. The long journey, expected to last over a month, includes several diplomatic port calls and has taken on a symbolic dimension: Indonesian authorities have organized a representational mission, with government officials and members of the Indonesian community in Europe embarked to accompany the ship home.
In the coming months, Brawijaya will be joined by her sister ship, KRI Prabu Siliwangi, the second PPA unit involved in the contract with Fincantieri. Like Brawijaya, Prabu Siliwangi was also originally intended for the Italian Navy but was redirected to Indonesia before delivery.
Once in service, Brawijaya will be assigned to the Second Naval Command based in Surabaya. The arrival of these two advanced multirole platforms marks a significant boost to Indonesia’s maritime capabilities, providing cutting-edge technology and operational flexibility. The transfer of these ships also represents a commercial and strategic success for Italian shipbuilding, and highlights Italy’s growing role as a defense partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
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