The sensible roles and harsh realities of KRI Sriwijaya

The acquisition of Indonesia's first aircraft carrier, KRI Sriwijaya, brings both promising opportunities and challenging realities. While the vessel will undoubtedly serve as a centerpiece at key events, such as the Oct. 5 fleet review, the pressing question remains: how can this 45-year-old platform justify its substantial investment? The defense ministry must balance strategic expectations with fiscal responsibility.

Historically, aircraft carriers have often fallen short of their projected utility. Middle powers that acquired surplus carriers from the United States and the United Kingdom found their strategic value quickly diminished by advanced anti-ship missile weaponry. The Royal Netherlands Navy's experience with HNLMS Karel Doorman during Operation Trikora in the 1960s serves as a cautionary tale.

The ship, initially stationed near Hollandia to counter Indonesia's new anti-ship missile-equipped bombers, ultimately became confined to port due to spare-part shortages and tight budgets.

Indonesia's KRI Sriwijaya, despite its impressive displacement of 14,000 tonnes, is limited to accommodating rotary-wing aircraft and medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles. This capacity falls short of being a credible deterrent in modern warfare, even for the United States Navy, which exercises caution when deploying supercarriers near the Strait of Hormuz.

For the Indonesian Navy, transforming KRI Sriwijaya into an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) hub is a more viable option, though it demands significant capital investment, especially considering the TNI's limited inventory of dedicated ASW helicopters.

While airframes may be abundant, relying on frigate-based ASW offers superior agility, speed, and sensor integration for tracking littoral submarines. As the defense ministry contemplates the future role of KRI Sriwijaya, it must recalibrate expectations to align with realistic operational capabilities.