The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Naval Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) has conducted extensive live-fire trials of the primary naval gun system aboard its newly integrated frigate, KRI Prabu Siliwangi (321), during gunnery drills executed in the strategic waters of the Java Sea. Currently assigned to the 2nd Fleet Command’s Escort Ship Squadron (Satuan Kapal Eskorta Koarmada II), the warship carried out the live-firing exercise as an essential milestone in its operational workup schedule, aiming to rigorously assess combat readiness and elevate crew proficiency. The trial protocol encompassed thorough pre-firing material checks, personnel readiness evaluations, and systematic weapon integration verification, ensuring strict adherence to standard operational procedures before the platform is cleared for sustained frontline maritime security missions across the archipelago.
Prabu Siliwangi is a Thaon di Revel-class (Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura: PPA) multipurpose warship, originally laid down and constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri as Ruggiero di Lauria (P435) to fulfill the Italian Navy’s modern surface requirements. In a strategic effort to rapidly bolster TNI-AL’s surface combatant inventory and replace aging naval assets, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense finalized a contract with Fincantieri in March 2024 to procure two PPA-class vessels that were under construction in Italy. Designated and operated in a primary frigate role by the Indonesian Navy, the highly adaptable multi-mission platform brings advanced technological capabilities, significantly augmenting Koarmada II’s long-range patrol, surface warfare posture, and overall territorial defense deterrence throughout Indonesia’s vast maritime domain.
The live-fire sequence served as a critical operational validation for the vessel’s primary surface offensive armament, the Leonardo OTO 127/64 Lightweight (LW) Vulcano naval gun assembly. This rapid-fire 127 mm (5-inch) mount features a compact footprint and modular automatic feeding magazines with four drum systems, allowing operators to rapidly select and seamlessly switch between up to four distinct, immediately available ammunition types—including Vulcano long-range guided projectiles for precision shore bombardment and anti-surface warfare. Fully integrated with the ship’s digital Combat Management System (CMS) via high-speed interfaces, the system’s standalone Vulcano module autonomously handles mission planning, ballistics computation, fuse programming, and rapid automated ammunition manipulation, allowing continuous reloading and firing sequences without sacrificing operational tempo.
Reflecting on the successful execution of the gunnery trial, Commanding Officer Captain (Kolonel Laut (P)) Kurniawan Koes Atmadja stated that the capability test forms an integral component of a continuous combat-enhancement program mandated by the Commander of Koarmada II (Pangkoarmada II). The live-fire exercise effectively validated the seamanship, gun-crew coordination, firing accuracy, and system integration under realistic maritime operating conditions, confirming the platform’s operational maturity. By verifying the operational integrity of both the crew and the main gun system, the trial ensures that KRI Prabu Siliwangi remains at peak operational readiness to carry out future operational deployments, uphold national sovereignty, and safeguard Indonesia’s sovereign marine territory.
