The defence ministers of Indonesia and Japan have agreed to commence joint development of new naval vessels to bolster Indonesia's maritime security.
The joint development is part of a broader initiative that also entails technological cooperation, joint naval drills, and the transfer of other defence materiel between the two countries.
Enhancing Indonesia's maritime security will contribute to peace and stability in the region, Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reports in Jakarta following a meeting with Indonesian counterpart Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on Tuesday, January 7.
Mr Nakatani also highlighted Indonesia's strategic importance, as part of the country's coastline faces the Strait of Malacca, which Japan regards as a key shipping lane.
Japanese defence officials told Kyodo News that the vessels being proposed for joint development will be variants of the Mogami-class stealth frigates currently in service with the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). The ships' notable features include active electronically scanned array (AESA) X-band radars, advanced integrated combat information centres (CICs), and armament for anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-air warfare.
The CIC on each Mogami-class frigate consists of a large circular screen through which operators can view all navigation, propulsion, tracking, and fire control data. The same system provides the crew with a full 360 degrees of visibility through the use of cameras, enabling them to see the areas around the ship without any blind spots.