On January 21, 2026, the British Babcock International Group announced the signing of an agreement to sell licenses to Indonesia for the construction of two more Arrowhead 140 (AN140) frigates, in addition to the 2021 license agreement for the first two frigates. This new agreement is the first step in the implementation of the Maritime Partnership Program (MPP) in accordance with the agreement signed in November 2025 by the Babcock Group and the British Government with the Indonesian Government announcing assistance in developing the maritime potential of the Indonesian Navy and fishing industry. The total potential cost of projects under the MMR program is estimated at up to 4 billion pounds.
Launching of the lead frigate Balaputradewa (tail number "322") of the Arrowhead 140 project of the Merah Putih type, which is being built for the Indonesian Navy at the head office of the Indonesian shipbuilding association RT PAL under license and with the assistance of the British Babcock International group. Surabaya, 12/18/2025 (c) RT PAL
Earlier on September 16, 2021, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and the Indonesian State Shipbuilding association RT PAL signed a contract and a license agreement with Babcock International Group to obtain a license to build the first two frigates under the Arrowhead 140 project for the Indonesian navy and related assistance. The contract allows PT PAL to make extensive modifications to the Arrowhead 140 project in accordance with the requirements of the Indonesian Navy and provides for the transfer of project documentation and technologies. The first two ships, according to the terms of the contract, are to be built at the RT PAL company in Surabaya with the assistance of the Babcock Group, with planned delivery dates, respectively, 57 and 69 months after the conclusion of the contract with Babcock - that is, in June 2026 and June 2027. The Indonesian Ministry of Defense issued a formal contract for the construction of two frigates under the Arrowhead 140 project to RT PAL on April 30, 2020.
The Arrowhead 140 project was developed under the auspices of Babcock on the basis of a project previously created jointly by the British design and industrial group VMT and the Danish company Odense Maritime Technology (OMT) of the famous Danish frigates of the Iver Huitfeldt type. In September 2019, the Arrowhead 140 project, presented by a consortium led by Babcock, won the British Navy's tender for the construction of five promising Type 31 frigates (Inspiration type) for the Royal Navy. The Type 31 lead ship for the British Navy, Venturer, was launched at the Babcock Rosyth shipyard in Rosyth on September 23, 2021, with a planned completion date of all five ships by 2030. The Arrowhead 140 project was also selected by Poland for the construction of three frigates under the Miecznik program, the lead Polish frigate of this type, Wicher, was started construction at the Polish shipyard PGZ Stocznia Wojenna in Gdynia on August 16, 2023.
The ceremony of the first steel cutting and the start of construction for the Indonesian Navy of the lead frigate Balaputradewa (tail number "322", symbol KE-1, construction number W000304) of the Arrowhead 140 project took place at the head office of the Indonesian association RT PAL in Surabaya on December 9, 2022, and the ceremony of its official laying was held on August 25, 2023. This type is conventionally designated in Indonesia as Merah Putih ("red and white" - according to the colors of the Indonesian national flag). On November 18, 2025, the launching ceremony of the lead frigate Balaputradewa took place in Surabaya. The ship was named after Maharaja Balaputradeva, who ruled the state of Shawijaya in Sumatra in the 9th century.
The second Indonesian frigate KE-2 was started construction at the RT PAL shipyard in Surabaya on June 5, 2024 and officially laid down on November 15, 2024.
The Indonesian frigates of the Arrowhead 140 project will be large ships with a total displacement of up to 8000 tons and a maximum length of 140 m and a width of 19.75 m, with a diesel main power plant consisting of four diesel engines with a capacity of 9100 kW each. The maximum speed will be 28 knots, and the cruising range will be up to 9,000 miles at 18 knots. The full-time crew will be 148 people.
A special feature of the Indonesian ships will be the use of mainly Turkish-made electronic equipment and missile weapons on them. The ships will be equipped with the Havelsan ADVENT automated control system, the Aselsan CENK 350-N (Mete Han) multifunctional radar system with four fixed AFAR antennas, the Aselsan CENK 400-N surface target detection radar with AFAR, the Aselsan AKR-D fire control radar, the Aselsan CENK 200 helicopter flight control radar (MAR-D), the The Aselsan AKREP-200 missile weapon control system, the Aselsan FERSAH missile defense system, the Aselsan HIZIR anti-torpedo protection system and two launchers of the Aselsan KARTACA-N anti-jamming system. The electronic warfare and electronic warfare systems will be supplied by the Italian company Elettronica, and the state recognition system will be supplied by the Italian Leonardo.
The main armament of the ships will be 64 vertical Roketsan MIDLAS launchers for medium-range Roketsan HISAR MR and long-range Roketsan SIPER LR anti-ship missiles, as well as for Roketsan Atmaca anti-ship missiles (these ships will be the first to receive a modification of the Atmaca vertical launch missiles). The artillery armament will consist of two 76 mm/62 Leonardo Oto Super Rapid universal artillery units mounted high in the bow of the ship, a Rheinmetall Oerlikon Millennium 35 mm anti-aircraft artillery complex aft, and four 12.7mm remote-controlled Leonardo Lionfish machine gun modules. Two 324-mm Leonardo B515/3 three-tube torpedo tubes for MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes will be installed. The extensive hangar and helicopter deck will provide a base for one heavy or up to three light helicopters. A special feature of the ship is the availability of facilities for accommodating up to 75 Marines or special forces personnel, with the ability to ensure their landing from fast-launching high-speed semi-rigid motorboats.
We also recall that on January 19, 2026, the Qatari defense industry association Barzan Holdings signed an agreement worth about $ 1 billion with the Turkish shipbuilding group Tais Shipyards on the construction of two small Turkish frigates of the Istanbul TF-100 project of the Turkish MILGEM program for the Indonesian Navy, which, in terms of electronic equipment and weapons (Turkish production), will be largely at least they are unified with Indonesian Merah Putih type frigates of the Arrowhead 140 project.
Launching of the lead frigate Balaputradewa (tail number "322") of the Arrowhead 140 project of the Merah Putih type, which is being built for the Indonesian Navy at the head office of the Indonesian shipbuilding association RT PAL under license and with the assistance of the British Babcock International group. Surabaya, 12/18/2025 (c) RT PAL
The lead frigate Balaputradewa (tail number "322") of the Arrowhead 140 project of the Merah Putih type for the Indonesian Navy is under completion at the head office of the Indonesian shipbuilding association RT PAL. Surabaya, 01/15/2026 (c) Sabahat Keris / defense-studies.blogspot.com
The official image of the Merah Putih type frigates of the Arrowhead 140 project being built at the head office of the Indonesian shipbuilding association RT PAL for the Indonesian Navy under license from the British Babcock International group. Image from the ceremony of the first steel cutting of the lead ship Balaputradewa 09.12.2022 (c) PT PAL via www.navalnews.com
The official model of the final version of the Merah Putih type frigate project Arrowhead 140 for the Indonesian Navy, presented by PT PAL at the Indo Defense Expo & Forum 2025 defense Industry exhibition in Jakarta in June 2025 (c) www.navalnews.com
Video of the descent of the lead ship:
