Indonesian state-owned naval shipbuilder PT PAL launched a new hospital assistance ship (Bantu Rumah Sakit, BRS) for the Indonesian Navy on 15 August 2021. The vessel is named after Indonesia’s national hero Dr Radjiman Wedyodiningrat (1879-1952). He was an Indonesian physician and one of the founding figures of the Indonesian Republic. Derived from Makassar-class of Landing Platform Dock (LPD) design without well deck and rear ramp facilities, to be used as purpose built hospital ship. Projected to replace KRI Semarang (594) role as a temporary hospital ship. The future KRI dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat (992) will join supplement two existing hospital and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) vessels in the indonesian Navy Fleet: KRI Dr Soeharso (990) and KRI dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo (991).
KRI Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat was inaugurated at PAL Indonesia shipyard in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday. The Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff, Admiral Yudo Margono said that KRI Dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat’s name was proposed by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri. The event hosted the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Ms Megawati Soekarnoputri. As an island country with greater maritime territory than land, the presence of hospital ships will bolster medical services for residents scattered across Indonesia’s thousands of islands. When natural disaster strikes, hospital assistance ships can be promptly deployed to the disaster zone to assist injured victims. In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, KRI Dr Soeharso (990) and KRI Semarang (594) has been deployed to provide hospital relief from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hospital Assistance Ship is 124 meters long, 21.8 meters wide with a displacement of 7,290 tons. It has a maximum speed of 18 knots, cruising speed of 14 knots and economic speed of 12 knots. It has an endurance of up to 30 days at sea with a range of 10,000 nautical miles. With 120 crew and 66 medical personnel, this ship is capable of carrying out operational missions equivalent to a type C hospital. This capability is supported by outpatient polyclinic facilities (general, eye, dental, etc.), emergency room, operating room, inpatient room, and radiology unit. Mobility for carrying out medical evacuation missions is also supported by the ability to transport medical helicopters, ambulance boats and LCVPs. It also featues a number of medical equipment such as CT Scan and X-Ray and even an Isolation Room which is very useful during infectious outbreaks such as Covid-19.
The “dr. Radjiman Wedyodiningrat” is based on the existing Makassar-class of Landing Platform Dock (LPD). The Makassar class is a class of South Korean-designed and built Landing Platform Dock, it is named after the city of Makassar in Sulawesi, Indonesia. The ships were designed by Daesun Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. based on their earlier design of Tanjung Dalpele class that was sold to the Indonesian Navy. Other operators of the Makassar class LPDs are the Philippines, Peru, and Myanmar. Since the same year, Brazil is also in talk with Peruvian Navy to acquire 1 Peruvian-built Makassar class LPD. It is also noted that Malaysia and United Arab Emirates are interested in buying larger, multi-role variants of these ships. The Makassar Class Landing Platform Docks are primarily deployed by the amphibious operation forces to transport equipment, cargo and military vehicles.
