Page 28 - ADT APRIL - MAY 2021 Online Magazine
P. 28

In November 2019, the Research and
                                                                       Development Agency of the Indonesian
                                                                       Ministry of Defence (Balitbang Kemhan) suc-
                                                                       cessfully performed a series of R-HAN 122B
                                                                       artillery  rockets  firing  tests.  These  rockets   [ ANALYSIS ]
                                                                       were launched from a locally developed mobile
                                                                       launcher built by Delimajaya Group, a private
                                                                       coachwork company based in Bogor, West
                                                                       Java. Following the successful test, a decision
                                                                       was made in April this year to start mass pro-
                                                                       duction of R-HAN 122B in the coming months in
                                                                       PT PINDAD facility. The mobile launcher proto-
                                                                       type will also enter mass production, since it will
                                                                       serve as the main platform for the rockets that
                                                                       will be used by the Indonesian Marine Corps
                                                                       (Korps Marinir).

                                                                       R-HAN (Roket Pertahanan / Defence Rocket)
                                                                       122B is an Indonesian rocket artillery project
                                                                       that has been in development since 2007 and
                                                                       in low-scale production since 2015. It is made
                                                                       to be compatible with other Multiple Launch
                                                                       Rocket Systems (MLRS) currently in service
                                                                       with Korps Marinir. Each R-HAN 122B rocket
                                                                       carries a 15 kg high explosive warhead with a
                                                                       maximum range of 30 km. The  still-unnamed
                                                                       mobile platform built by Delimajaya Group
                                                                       carries a 40-tube rocket launcher that can be
                                                                       operated remotely with multiple firing modes.
                                                                       For self-defence, the mobile launcher is also
                                                                       equipped with a machine gun station as well as
                                                                       smoke grenade launchers installed on its roof.
        Land Systems
        In 2015, PT PINDAD collaborated with Turkey’s FNSS to develop  Aside from PT PINDAD that produces SS-1
        and produce a new “medium tank” called “Kaplan” in Turkey and  and  SS-2  series  as  standard  assault  rifles
        “Harimau” in Indonesia (both names mean “Tiger” in English). The  for the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), the
        prototype of the tank was first revealed in Istanbul during IDEF 2017  country also has a private company - PT
        and then a year later in Jakarta during Indo Defence 2018. After  Komodo Armament Indonesia - that manufac-
        a series of field testing done by both companies and Indonesian  tures law enforcement and military weapons
        Army (TNI-AD), the Harimau tank is now entering mass production  and ammunition. The company has a product
        with the first batch of 18 units for TNI-AD. Follow-on orders for  portfolio ranging from 9 mm pistol to 7.62 mm
        additional units are expected after 2021 as the tank is projected  caliber,  six-barreled  minigun.  The  first  and
        to replace more than 100 of the old AMX-13 tanks still used in TNI-  only Indonesian private company in the small
        AD’s cavalry battalions.                                       arms and machine gun category. PT Komodo
                                                                       Armament Indonesia’s  D-5 and D-7 rifles have
        After acquiring orders for more than 140 Komodo (also known  been tested and certified by the Indonesian
        as “Komodo Nexter”) armored tactical vehicles from TNI-AD and  authorities and are now being used in limited
        Indonesian Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob), PT PINDAD’s pro-    numbers with special forces units of the TNI.
        duction lines are also in the process of mass producing the new
        light tactical vehicle “Maung” (“Tiger” in Sundanese - language of  Like many other countries, Indonesia has also
        Indonesia’s Sunda ethnic group). It is known that the Indonesian  realized  the  importance  of  developing  and
        Army has ordered 500 units of Maung, of which the first 40 were  manufacturing its own unmanned vehicles for
        delivered to TNI-AD in January this year. First initiated in 2018, the  defense. One  such project is the Unmanned
        company managed to reduce Maung’s development cost and time  Ground Combat Vehicle (UGCV,) also known
        by building upon Toyota Hilux’s chassis and engines. While this may  locally as “Sentry Gun”. The UGCV is now under
        pose a problem for export, PT PINDAD is exploring the option of  active development by PT Ansa Solusitama
        replacing the engine with other makers as alternatives. The com-  Indonesia in cooperation with the Research
        pany is also planning to produce and market a civilian version of  and Development Agency of the Indonesian
        Maung, this one being powered solely by Toyota’s engine.       Ministry of Defense (Balitbang Kemhan). The


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