Indonesia has undertaken a vast effort aiming to modernize its land, air and naval forces in the years to come, with a growing army budget. Thus, last June, Jakarta announced to everyone's surprise an order for 6 FREMM frigates of the Bergamini class from the Italian Fincantieri, as well as progress in negotiations to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets with France. On the occasion of the DSEI 2021 fair, which will be held in London in mid-September, the Indonesian Minister of Defense, Prabowo Subianto, signed with the British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace, a license agreement for the construction of 2 Frigates of the Arrowhead 140 model, designed by the Babcock company, by the Indonesian shipyards. The final contract is to be signed in November of this year, according to Babcock's press release.
No other information was disclosed around this program, nor in terms of budget, schedule, or configuration of the frigates themselves. The Arrowhead 140 model was selected by the British authorities to serve as a basis for future Type 31 frigates which will equip the Royal Navy from 2027, in order to replace, alongside the heavy Type 26 frigates under construction, the Type 23 frigates at the end of their potential. The model was also selected by the Polish authorities alongside the German Meko 300 and the Navantia F-100 in the competition to acquire 3 new frigates for the country's navy, and by Greece as part of the competition. to acquire 4 new frigates. The Indonesian contract marks the Arrowhead's first international success.
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