Indonesia will introduce "Tank Boat" for its Military

PT. Pindad in collaboration with PT. Lundin Industry will introduce a new type of combat boat, Brigadier General Jan Pieter Ate, the head of Technology and Defence Industry Directorate of Indonesian Ministry of Defense, has announced.

 

Brigadier General Jan Pieter Ate further elaborated that this new type of combat boat is considered as the most effective type of combat boat for countries like Indonesia.

 

The officially named X-18 Fire Support Vessel (FSV) is propelled with two waterjets that can reach a maximum speed of 40 knots. It has a standard range of 350 nautical miles (nm - 648 km) at 25 knots and up to 900 nm (1667 km) at 9 knots. 

 

The 4 crews - 18m length catamaran, armed with an 105 mm cannon, will combine the fire power of a tank with a mobility of a fast boat that will be used to patrol Indonesian coastal and riverine areas.

 

Aside from a Cockerill 105 mm high pressure gun as its main weapon, it will also be equipped with Trackfire Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) and Battle Management System (BMS) - both from Swedish's SAAB defense company.

 

It will also carry a rigid inflatable boat on the back and still has room to carry 20 military equipped troops.

 

The Indonesian Ministry of Defense has already ordered the construction of a prototype that will undergo a series evaluation and operational tests before being accepted and mass produced.