The maiden voyage of the Indonesian Navy’s new frigate marked an important upgrade to the nation’s maritime capabilities as well as serving as a wide-ranging diplomacy mission.
The KRI Prabu Siliwangi departed the Italian Navy base in La Spezia in mid-February 2026 and arrived in Indonesia in late March, making port calls in Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius. The voyage strengthened ties with partners while testing the endurance and readiness of the navy’s most advanced warship.
“The message Indonesia wants to convey is certainly very clear: We are undergoing a transformation,” Marcellus Hakeng Jayawibawa, an analyst at Jakarta’s Lemhannas Strategic Center, told FORUM. “From a maritime force that has traditionally been more defensive, we are now moving toward becoming an actor capable of power projection.”
The KRI Prabu Siliwangi is one of two Italian-built multirole frigates, known in Indonesia as the Brawijaya class, acquired to strengthen capabilities. The ships feature enhanced endurance and flexible configurations for missions including maritime security and high-intensity operations.
The first of the vessels, the KRI Brawijaya, sailed from Italy to Indonesia in 2025 on a six-week transit that included port calls in Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka.
The KRI Prabu Siliwangi’s voyage included official receptions, cultural exchanges, and engagements with the South African Navy and local authorities.
The itinerary, including stops in Lagos, Nigeria, and Cape Town, South Africa, reflects Indonesia’s effort to broaden maritime partnerships beyond its traditional Indo-Pacific focus.
“I see the port visits in Lagos and Cape Town as strategically significant entry points for Indonesia into Africa’s maritime cooperation landscape,” Jayawibawa said, noting piracy challenges in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa and the importance of the Cape of Good Hope on the continent’s southern tip to global shipping.
The mission also included a stop in Port Louis, Mauritius, where the crew met with the Mauritian Coast Guard before continuing across the Indian Ocean to Southeast Asia.
“A long-range deployment such as the voyage of KRI Prabu Siliwangi essentially serves as a mobile laboratory to comprehensively test the ship’s operational endurance,” Jayawibawa said.