Fatahilla class Corvettes (1978)

Missile Corvettes (Built Fijenoord 1978-80):
KRI Fatahillah (361), KRI Malahayati (362) KRI Nala (363)

The Fatahillah class corvettes in service with the Indonesian Navy today were ordered to Wilton-Fijenoord in Schiedam, Netherlands. With three ships KRI Fatahillah, Malahayati and Nala built in 1978-80 and in service today, still. They were very much tailored designed for the Indonesian Navy, the first of their kind, so that’s why there are seen there on this Indonesia Day (17 August) and rather large for corvettes, missile armed. They were the First Indonesian vessels powered by a combined diesel or gas (CODOG), with a single Rolls-Royce Olympus TM-3B gas turbine and two MTU 16V956 TB81 diesel engines. The armament was extensive for their size, with a main Bofors 120 mm L/46 gun one of two Bofors 40 mm L/70 gun, two Rheinmetall Rh-202 20 mm guns, four Exocet MM 38 anti-ship missiles canister, one Bofors 375 mm twin anti-submarine rocket launcher and two triple Mk 32 launchers for 324 mm torpedoes. Nala lacked these, but had two Bofors 40 mm instead. Only KRI Nala had a helicopter with a flight deck and telescopic hangar. In some publications, they are classed as frigates.

Design of the class

From the blueprints, origin unknown
Before this class, Indonesia relied on a heteroclite array of frigates, replacing older destroyers, notably Soviet Skoryy class (discarded 1973), notably the 2 Italian built Iman Bondjol class, the 8 Riga type Sudarso class, and the 4 Claud Jones type Samakidun class Frigates transferred in 1973. This made for a total of 14 ships, but they were 1950s designs. The Indonesian Navy needed more modern ships, missile armed if possible. But for the budget possible in 1975, it was decided to order tailored missile corvettes. The Netherlands were contracted by first choice and in August 1975 NEVESBU design bureau, belonging to Rhine-Schelde-Verolme had their proposal accepted. Wilton-Fijenoord was tasked to built the 1200t design capable of long range overseas missions and armed with Exocet missiles in canisters. They were all rounded with guns of all calibers and had ASW torpedoes for an anti-ship, AA and anti-submarine capabilities, but they were all limited, which was reflected by their sensors. Bofors guns were hardly a substitute for SAMs and the torpedoes were limited by the sonar use.

Hull and general design

The Fatahillah class displaced 1,200 long tons (1,200 t) standard, 1,450 long tons (1,470 t) fully load. They measured 84 m (276 ft) in lenght overall for 11.10 m (36.4 ft) in beam and a draught of 3.3 m (11 ft). Design-wise, they had some similarities with Dutch vessels of the time, like the contemporary Kortenaer class albeit much smaller, stockier, with a massive Bofors gun on a well sloped foredeck, followed by a blocky structure which step supported their Bofors ASW mortar, followed by a tyipical Dutch enclosed deck, a pyramid like main mast supporting the 3D radar and antennae behind, the single, massive funnel with thermal reducers for the CODOG exhasuts, an uppper deck running towards the step down to the poop. There was a low structure supporting a stubby aft mast with main aerial radar. Nala differed by having a short telescopic hangar aft and the flight deck built over the pop deck. They had a crew of 89 personnel, including 11 officers. Due to limited space on board, there were no boats under davits but instead ribs stored close to the funnel. The exocet canisters were placed aft of the funnel. They had air-conditioned living spaces and an NBC warfare citadel.

Powerplant

The Fatahilla class was powered by two shafts propellers driven by a CODOG-type (Combined Diesel or Gas) propulsion with a one Rolls-Royce Olympus TM-3B gas turbine (same found on the Kortenaer class) rated for 21,000 kW (28,000 shp) plus two MTU 16V956 TB81 diesels, another classic found in so many NATO CODOG powerplants, rated for 6,000 bhp (4,500 kW). Together they procured a top speed of 30 knots (56 km/h) but the dieselswere used for a range of 4,250 nautical miles (7,870 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h). This was a nice range considering their small size.

Armament

These ships may be small but they packed quite a punch guns-wise, as coastal bombardment was required in the design. Dutch engineers proposed Swedish Bofors armament, that they trusted and so the Fatahilla class had the following:
-Single, massive Bofors 120 mm Automatic TAK120 Gun L/46.
-Bofors 375 mm twin anti-submarine rocket launcher superfiring behind the main gun fwd.
-Single Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 350 AFD (radar guided) located aft
-Two Rheinmetall Rh-202/85 S20 autocannons on either side.
The anti-submarine warfare suite was rounded by:
-Two triple Mk 32 324 mm torpedo launchers located aft, on either side of the rear structure.
As missile corvettes they had:
-Four Exocet MM 38 anti-ship missile launchers, in two pairs of canisters placed in a tranverse position, facing port and starboard.
The MM38 was a 1st gen subsonic sea-skimming model with an operational 40 km (25 mi; 22 nmi) range.

Sensors

–HSA DA-05 air and surface surveillance radar
–Decca AC 1229 surface warning radar
–HSA WM-28 tracking radar
–PHS 32 sonar from Van der Heem
-LIROD Mk 1 e/o director
–WCS WM20 fire-control system replaced in 2009 by the Signaal LIROD fire-control system.
-SEWACO CCS
-2x Vickers Corvus Mk 4 chaff launchers
-SUSIE I ECM suite
-T-Mk 6 Fanfare torpedo decoy outfit (poop deck).
In 2009, the chaff launchers were replaced by two Knebworth Corvus 8-tubed trainable chaff launchers plus the ECM MEL Susie-1.

Upgrade

Fatahillah and Malahayati received and completed mid-life upgrades in 2016 and 2020, respectively. They received a Terma SCANTER 4100 (Fatahillah) and 6000 (Malahayati) air and surface surveillance radar plus new IFF systems. Due to Obsolescence however these ships never carried the Exocet missiles since the early 2000s.

Commander handover ceremony on KRI Nala in 2022

Air Group

KRI Nala was modified with a flight deck built over the poop deck and a telescopic hangar astern to house and operate a single, small Greman MBO-105 helicopter. She differed from the others by having two Bofors 40 mm guns instead of only a single one and git rid of the torpedo launchers as the hangar needed that space. The MBO 105 is a versatile liaison and ground attack model but not fitted for ASW operations.

Career of the Fatahilla class

KRI Fatahillah and Nala was deployed as well as the bulk of the Indoenian Navy in search of US Navy vessels for the missing Adam Air Flight 574. They indeed located several unidentified metal objects attributed to this flight later. Fatahillah and Malahayati were deployed in waters off Nusa Dua in Bali for patrol as part of the 2022 G20 Bali summit on 15–16 November 2022.

Fatahilla firing an exocet in 2004
KRI Fatahillah was laid down on 31 January 1977 at Wilton-Fijenoord, launched on 22 December 1977, commissioned on 16 July 1979. Together with KRI Cut Nyak Dien, KRI Karel Satsuit Tubun, KRI Sultan Thaha Syaifuddin, KRI Teuku Umar, KRI Silas Papare and KRI Badik, KRI Fatahillah she took part in the Sekat 01/2004 security operation in the Malacca Strait, looking for smuggling and piracy. From 8 to 2 May 2004, KRI Fatahillah took part in the Joint Sea Operation Exercise (Latopslagab) XV/04 in the Indian Ocean with a training area covering the Java Sea and Sunda Strait. Fatahillah fired at this occasion her first MM-38 Exocet missile at the former KRI Rakata tugboat used as target.
On August 15-28, 2002 she took part in the Dalla-2002 exercise, firing another MM-38 close to expiration and retrofitted by TNI-AL technicians. She took part in the joint TNI AL-US Navy exercise CARAT-8/02 which on May 27-June 3 the same year. CARAT (Coorperation Afloat Readiness and Training) took part in the Java Sea, Bali Strait and Situbondo. As een above she also looked for the Adam Air Flight 574 missing on January 1, 2007.

Malahayata recommisioned after modernization in 2020
KRI Malahayati was laid down on 28 July 1977 at Wilton, launched on 19 June 1978; commissioned on 21 March 1980. Together with her sister Fatahillah and other vessels she was deployed off Nusa Dua, Bali for the 2022 G20 Bali summit. On 15-28 August 2002 she took part in the Dalla-2002 exercise in the Java Sea and fired an Exocet missile. As of 2019 her status is uncertain.

Kri Nala with student officers in exrcises, 2019
KRI Nala was laid down on 27 January 1978 at Wilton, launched on 11 January 1979, commissioned on 4 August 1980. On 15-28 August 2002 she took part in the Dalla-2002 exercise in the Java Sea and fired an Exocet missile. She also took part in the search for the wreckage of Adam Air Flight 574. In 2009, she was about to participate in Sail Bunaken, when her engine room caught fire. She returned to port and was placed under repairs until recently. In 2013 budget it was to be combined to her Mid Life Modernization scheme, then focused again on repairs only while her Weapon Control system was to be deactivated. Her current status is “acrtive” as her sisters, but with many new ships coming out in service such as the recent Diponegoro class corvettes (also built in the Netherlands), they days are counted.

Read More/Src

Books

Conway’s all the world’s fighting ships 1947-95
Moore, Capt. John (1979). Jane’s Fighting Ships 1979-80/1984-85. Jane’s Information Group.
Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane’s Fighting Ships 2009-2010.
Jackson. Grange books. Destroyer, frigate, corvette. 2000

Links

on navypedia.org
defenceweb.co.za/sea/
jatim.antaranews.com/
http://www.ultra-ccs.com/
indomiliter.com/
hazegray.org/
http://terma.com/
voi.id/berita
beta.tnial.mil.id/
jatim.antaranews.com/ fatahillah-361-video

Videos

Model Kits

none

3D

Corvette KRI Fatahillah 361 Class by lademadane on Sketchfab