Following the recent discovery of an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) near Selayar Island in South Sulawesi, Indonesia looks to strengthen its underwater security and defense. The Deputy Speaker (DPR) of the House of Representatives recently urged the Indonesian government to modernize the country’s underwater detection and tracking capability.
The discovery of the UUV follows a similar incident in March 2019, when another underwater drone was identified in the waters off Riau Islands. These incidents have caused concern about a potential security breach in the country’s territorial waters, and more specifically about a potential espionage attempt from China.
The DPR has declared that the Indonesian National Armed Forces (Tentara Nasional Indonesia or TNI) will need to coordinate with the Foreign Ministry to take appropriate next steps. Furthermore, the TNI could also deploy TNI units to boost their capability in early detection and prevent the UUV from sending sensitive information.
(Sources: Tempo; South China Morning Post)
