According to a report by Defense Asia on October 24, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense spokesperson revealed that Indonesia is considering purchasing seven 053H-class frigates from China for maritime patrol and training missions.

The 053 family is a medium frigate series developed by China in the 1970s and 1980s, with continuous improvements in the 1990s. The standard displacement is around 2,000 tons, with typical configurations including anti-ship missiles, 100mm naval guns, and basic close-in defense firepower, emphasizing low cost and the ability to quickly form a large scale.

For Indonesia, the 053 series offers excellent cost-effectiveness. The Indonesian Navy currently lacks long-range capabilities and modern situational awareness coverage. Relying on a small number of newly built high-end ships would be difficult to cover the entire sea area. However, Chinese warships that have been used domestically can be quickly upgraded with engine, command, and radar modifications, making them easy to operate in a short time. This provides the navy with a training platform and patrol capability.

Jian 10CE

Recently, there has been a constant flow of news about Chinese equipment in Indonesia. In addition to the J-10 and 053, Indonesia may also introduce Chinese air-to-air missiles.

On the naval and coastal defense level, besides frigates, Indonesia is considering buying 022-type stealth missile fast attack crafts. Additionally, there are reports of considerations to purchase 039A submarines.

Regarding land-to-sea and ship-to-ship missiles, the C-705 and C-80 have already had usage experience. This time, they aim for more advanced models such as the CM-302/YJ-12E.

In terms of unmanned capabilities, fixed-wing long-range reconnaissance drones, rotary-wing light surveillance platforms, unmanned speedboats/unmanned boats formations, and low-cost drone swarms are all modules that Chinese manufacturers can quickly deliver and support local training.

There is also the possibility of acquiring land-based three-coordinate warning radars, shipborne search radars, command and data link systems, electro-optical fire control, and electronic warfare support equipment, which can form a closed-loop Chinese kill chain.

It is known that Indonesia is purchasing Chinese equipment, but one might think that Indonesia has come to China to buy goods.

Chinese Warships

So why has Indonesia initiated this round of intensive and systematized military procurement from China now?

This decision involves multiple considerations. Western systems have slow delivery, high prices, and political constraints. New ships take years to design and launch, and their training, maintenance, and spare parts systems are expensive. Russian channels face increased risks due to geopolitical issues and secondary sanctions. Japanese, South Korean, and European modern platforms seem acceptable, but their negotiation space is limited, and they are essentially part of the Western bloc.

Indonesia emphasizes sovereignty enforcement and resource management, and does not want to be forced to take sides. Therefore, it seeks non-Western systems. Among non-Western equipment, only China can provide complete solutions and truly effective options.

Indonesia does not pursue high-intensity equal competition with regional powers, but instead aims to increase law enforcement density through distributed presence, and improve the response speed against illegal fishing and piracy. This demand is better met by China's solutions.

If Indonesia directly purchases in bulk, it will be seen as a model user of Chinese military sales within ASEAN, creating a demonstration effect.

For countries with limited budgets and geographically dispersed territories, they tend to replicate Indonesia's approach, directly purchasing Chinese "acceleration packages" to rapidly enhance their military strength by one level within a short period.

Indonesian and Chinese Flags

It can be seen that Indonesia's current military procurement from China represents a systematic shift. While the cost-effectiveness and delivery speed of Chinese weapons are indeed factors, the underlying political factors cannot be ignored.

Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand are somewhat constrained in their equipment modernization by the United States and its allies, and the consequences are evident. Especially Pakistan, if it hadn't obtained Chinese aircraft, would not have been able to fight against India with the F-16s that the U.S. refused to upgrade.

This is another core advantage of Chinese equipment: what is purchased is truly usable weaponry, not inviting a guest who is just kept well during normal times but remotely locked when needed.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7565012245341389348/

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