Steel Cutting Begins Indonesia's First Submarine Build

On 7th August 2026, the steel-cutting ceremony of Indonesia's first Scorpène submarine took place at PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya, marking the start of the construction phase of the Scorpène for the Republic of Indonesia (SRI) programme.

The launching of the construction phase marks a milestone in the SRI programme. Two Scorpène submarines are built in Indonesia, by PT PAL, through a transfer of capacity from Naval Group.

This follows the cooperation between Naval Group and PT PAL with the prerequisite training sessions in Cherbourg and certification phases.

The Naval Group–PT PAL consortium combines the complementary expertise and responsibilities of each partner. PT PAL is responsible for hull construction, equipment integration, testing, final assembly and delivery of the submarines to the Indonesian Navy. Naval Group provides the submarine design, engineering support, industrial capability transfer and continuous technical support through a dedicated team of experts permanently based in Surabaya.

The SRI programme is designed to strengthen Indonesia's sovereignty at sea and naval defence industrial autonomy. Through the transfer of capacity, the management, operation, and maintenance of the future submarine fleet are fully conducted in Indonesia, by Indonesian industry and for Indonesia, contributing to the consolidation of the national defence industrial base and supporting the creation of thousands of skilled, long-term jobs.

For PT PAL Indonesia, the commencement of construction marks the transformation of Indonesia's submarine industrial capability into an operational reality, reinforcing PT PAL's commitment to becoming a naval shipbuilder capable of delivering defence platforms while supporting national strategic autonomy.