The ''Mandau''-class, Indonesian designation KCR-PSK, is a class of four missile-armed

fast attack craft A fast attack craft (FAC) is a small, fast, agile, offensive, often affordable warship armed with anti-ship missiles, gun or torpedoes. FACs are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the seakeeping and all-round defensiv ...

that currently operated by the

Indonesian Navy The Indonesian Navy ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, , Indonesian National Military-Naval Force, TNI-AL) is the naval branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. It was founded on 10 September 1945 and has a role to patrol In ...

. They were built by the Korea Tacoma Marine Industries from South Korea between 1977 and 1980.

Design

In 1975, Indonesia placed an order with the South Korean shipbuilder, Korea Tacoma International, for 4 PSK Mark 5 missile armed fast attack craft. The design was based on Korea Tacoma's PSSM patrol boat built for the

Republic of Korea Navy The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN; ko, 대한민국 해군), also known as the ROK Navy or South Korean Navy, is the naval warfare service branch of the South Korean armed forces, responsible for naval and amphibious operations. The ROK Navy ...

, which in turn was based on the built for the US Navy. The ships are long, with a

beam Beam may refer to: Streams of particles or energy * Light beam, or beam of light, a directional projection of light energy ** Laser beam * Particle beam, a stream of charged or neutral particles **Charged particle beam, a spatially localized g ...

of and a draught of . Displacement is standard and full load. The ships's machinery is arranged in a 2-shaft, Combined Diesel or Gas (

CODOG Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) is a type of propulsion system for ships that need a maximum speed that is considerably faster than their cruise speed, particularly warships like modern frigates or corvettes. For every propeller shaft there is ...

) layout, with a single General Electric-Fiat LM2500

gas turbine A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the directio ...

rated at powering the ship at high speeds, with two MTU 12V331 TC81

diesel engine The diesel engine, named after Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of the fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the diesel engine is a so-ca ...

s rated at each, power the ship at lower speeds. Maximum speed is using the gas turbine, and using the diesels. Range is at . The ships are fitted with a single Bofors 57 mm SAK-57 Mk I gun forward, with a Bofors 40 mm L/70 gun aft, with two

Rheinmetall Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of ...

20 mm cannon providing close-in defence. Four mm 38 Exocet

anti-ship missile An anti-ship missile (AShM) is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A good ...

s can be carried. The ships have a crew of 7 officers and 36 other ranks. A Racal Decca 1226

I-band The NATO I band is the obsolete designation given to the radio frequencies from 8 000 to 10 000 MHz (equivalent to wavelengths between 3.75 and 3 cm) during the Cold War period. Since 1992 frequency allocations, allotment and assignments are ...

surface search

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

is fitted, while fire control is by a

Signaal Thales Nederland B.V. (formerly Hollandse Signaalapparaten B.V. or in short Signaal) is a subsidiary of the French multinational company Thales Group based in the Netherlands. The firm was founded as ''NV Hazemeyer's Fabriek van Signaalapparaten ...

WM 28 fire control radar and a Selenia NA-18 optronic director.

Operational history

On September 11, 2018, KRI ''Rencong'' caught fire and sank while on patrol near Sorong in West Papua. The incident occurred at around 7 a.m. when a fire broke out in the ship's engine room after the gas turbine unexpectedly shut down. The fire soon spread to other compartments, including the ammunition room, prompting the ship's commander to issue an order to abandon ship. The patrol boat has been instrumental in Indonesia's efforts to root out

illegal fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) is an issue around the world. Fishing industry observers believe IUU occurs in most fisheries, and accounts for up to 30% of total catches in some important fisheries. Illegal fishing takes p ...

since 2015. The ship used to intercept mainly Philippine and Taiwanese fishing boats entering and fishing illegally in Indonesian waters. It formed part of the Indonesian Navy's Third Fleet Command in Sorong and used to patrol the Banda Sea in the Maluku Islands and the Celebes Sea east of Sulawesi Island.

Ships

References

Bibliography

* * * {{Indonesian Navy active ship classes Fast attack craft of the Indonesian Navy Ships built in South Korea Missile boat classes

Design

Operational history

Ships

See also

References

Bibliography