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Indonesia began building the first Scorpène Evolved submarine
Author:Mariusz Dasiewicz
On 7 August at PT PAL Indonesia shipyard in Surabai the construction of the first of two submarines began Scorpène Evolved ordered for the Indonesian Navy. On that day the construction was inaugurated by cutting the first sheet of sheet metal intended for the ship's construction.
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For Indonesia, the program is much more important than simply acquiring two new submarines. PT PAL is to be responsible for the construction of hulls, equipment integration, testing and final assembly, while the Naval Group will provide design, engineering support and transfer of the technologies necessary to build ships in Surabai. Port and sea tests are also to be carried out in Indonesia.
Scorpène Evolved entirely in Indonesia
Contract for two ships Scorpène Evolved Full LiB was signed on 28 March 2024, but formally entered into force on 23 July 2025. Even before that date, Naval Group and PT PAL began design preparations, purchases of components requiring long production times and training of Indonesian personnel.
One of the most important objectives of the programme is to transfer to Indonesia the widest possible range of competences related to the construction and subsequent maintenance of submarines. The French company announced a referral to Indonesia About 50 specialists to participate in training over 400 Indonesian engineers. Some PT PAL employees previously gained experience at Naval Group plants in France.
PT PAL, however, does not start from scratch. The shipyard had previously participated in a program of South Korean Nagapas-type ships and assembled a third unit of this series in Surabai – KRI Alugoro. However, in the case of Scorpène, the work carried out locally will be much larger and will cover further stages of construction, integration and testing of ships.
Preparations to start the right production have lasted for many months. In December 2025, PT PAL and Naval Group conducted a test cut and qualification of hull components technologies. It is of particular importance here that weld steel destined for a strong submarine hull, requiring much more stringent parameters and quality control than typical ship structures.
The first ship is to be transferred in 2032
According to the current schedule first Scorpène Evolved should be handed over to the Indonesian Navy in 2032. The construction of the second ship is expected to begin in 2027 and its delivery is planned for 2033. So both units will be created in parallel through a significant part of the program.
PT PAL declares at the same time the possibility of shortening the schedule if the next stages of construction are carried out without delay. The shipyard already has the infrastructure allowing parallel work on several submarines, both new and in repair.
Lithium-ion accumulators instead of a classic AIP system
Indonesian ships will be created in configuration Scorpène Evolved Full LiB, in which the primary energy storage will be lithium-ion batteries. The Naval Group indicates that they allow to accumulate more useful energy, reduce charging time and longer maintain high power drive regardless of battery charge level.
According to the manufacturer's data, Scorpène Evolved is about 72 metres long and its water displacement is between 1600 and 2000 tonnes. The ship will develop a submerging speed exceeding 20 knots and the declared depth of immersion exceeds 300 metres. The crew is expected to have 31 people.
For this version, the Naval Group provides six forward 533 mm caliber launchers and a supply of up to 18 combat measures. Ships are expected to receive a SUBTICS combat management system and an extensive set of devices designed to detect and track water and underwater targets.
Among the envisaged weapons are heavy torpedoes and guided anti-ship missiles SM39 Exocet. Naval Group has also confirmed that the Scorpène Evolved design will be adapted to the use of the currently developed SM40 missile, which is expected to replace the older version of the weapon intended for submarines in the future.
Indonesia develops its own capabilities to build submarines
The start of the construction of a prototype submarine is for Jakarta another stage in the development of the national shipbuilding industry. Cooperation with the Naval Group is intended to allow Indonesia to acquire the competences needed for the increasingly independent design, construction and maintenance of submarines.
Therefore, the importance of the programme is not limited to two ordered units. PT PAL is to gain experience covering the entire submarine construction process – from hull construction, installation of equipment and system integration, to sea trials and later maintenance of units in service.
