Makassar-class

Summary

Description

The Makassar class is a series of amphibious warfare ships designed as Landing Platform Docks (LPD) by South Korea's Daesun Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Named after the Indonesian city of Makassar, the lead ship was constructed in Busan, South Korea. This class is based on the earlier design of the Tanjung Dalpele class developed for the Indonesian Navy.

Indonesia has been significantly involved with the Makassar class, having signed a contract worth US$150 million in December 2004 for four units. The Indonesian Navy constructed two of these at the PT PAL shipyard in Surabaya with Daesun's assistance. The third and fourth Indonesian-built ships feature enhanced capabilities, serving as flagships with advanced command and control systems, a 57mm gun, and air defense systems. A later order for a fifth ship was placed in January 2017.

The Philippine Navy chose a modified version of the Makassar class, dubbed the Tarlac class, for its Strategic Sealift Vessel program after a competitive bidding process in 2013. They later added two more units in 2022 with upgraded capabilities to bolster their operational effectiveness in rougher sea conditions.

Peru selected the Makassar class for its Buque Multipropósito program, laying down the first ship in 2013 at the SIMA Callao shipyard. Plans for a second unit are also underway. Malaysia explored a collaboration during Indo Defence 2016 with Indonesia's PT PAL for a new class of multirole support ships based on an enlarged version of the Makassar-class LPD.

In 2019, Dae Sun Shipbuilding in South Korea built a Makassar-class LPD for the Myanmar Navy, and the same year, a Peruvian-built Makassar class was offered to Brazil as part of an exchange agreement involving used submarines.

Furthermore, the United Arab Emirates Navy signed a contract for the purchase of one Makassar-class LPD in July 2022, expanding the list of operating countries for this ship class and marking additional export success for the vessels.

Technical specifications