PT PAL Is On Track to Deliver Emirati LPD

👷 According to an Indonesian shipbuilding official who was present at the NAVDEX 2025 exhibition

A scale model of the 163m-long LPD that PT PAL is building for the UAE Navy. Note that the well deck is longer than the one depicted in the model. (Gordon Arthur)

Under the Al Maryah project name, construction of the UAE Navy’s largest naval vessel commenced last year. First steel was cut in late February 2024, and then its keel was laid a couple of months later at PT PAL’s Surabaya shipyard on 24 April.

Andriana Santiegel, PT PAL’s Head of Production for the UAE LPD programme, told Naval News at NAVDEX 2025 that the 163m-long vessel is slated to be delivered to the Emirati authorities before the end of 2027.

The AED 1.5 billion (US$ 408 million) contract for this vessel had been signed at the preceding IDEX exhibition in February 2023. This deal followed a memorandum of understanding signed with the UAE on 1 July 2022.

At this year’s event, PT PAL displayed a different large-scale model to the one exhibited in 2023. There are changes to the upper superstructure, mast and funnel, for example. Overall, it appears to be a more accurate depiction of the Emirati LPD, since it also closely matches an image shown at the steel-cutting ceremony in February 2024.

The LPD for the UAE Navy is nearly a third longer than Makassar– and Tarlac-class LPDs that PT PAL built for the Indonesian and Philippine navies. While the design is a clean-sheet one, according to Santiegel, there are obvious familial and design similarities to previously built LPDs. This is because PT PAL has been able to leverage its previous experience on the Al Maryah project.

According to a specification sheet provided by PT PAL, one marketing its “163m multirole mission ship”, the generic vessel has a beam of 24m and it displaces 13,170 tonnes. Propulsion comes from two 7,280kW engines that drive the ship to a top speed of 20 knots and a range of 10,000nm. The LPD can stay at sea for up to 30 days. Naval News understands that this data refers to a design offered to Malaysia.

Visible on the scale model exhibited in Abu Dhabi is a 15-tonne crane, and a stern well deck that can accommodate up to two landing craft utility. Significantly, Santiegel pointed out that the well deck depicted in PT PAL’s scale model is shorter than what it will actually be.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned brochure states the vehicle deck of the 163m LPD can carry up to 16 main battle tanks, six 8×8 armoured vehicles and an ambulance. The design can also accommodate 500 embarked troops, in addition to a standard complement of 150 crew, medical staff and aircrew.

A ceremony to mark the first steel being cut on the new LPD for the UAE Navy occurred in Surabaya, Indonesia in late February 2024. (PT PAL).
At the stern, a large flight deck can simultaneously fit three H225M-sized helicopters, or even CH-47 Chinooks, as this is a type operated by the UAE. There is an aircraft hangar, but this can fit just one helicopter, according to Santiegel. Alternatively, UAVs could operate from this flight deck.

PT PAL declined to say what missions the Emirati LPD will perform, but the UAE has previously called it a “multi-mission vessel”. Tasks in its ambit are therefore expected to include amphibious sealift, cargo transportation, non-combatant evacuation, command and control, naval diplomacy, humanitarian assistance and acting as a seaborne helicopter platform.

Santiegel said armaments are mainly from Italy, which most likely means they emanate from Leonardo. Its weapon fit-out has not been fully confirmed, but the model appears to depict a 76mm naval gun, two 35mm remote weapon stations, a RIM-116-type air defence weapon, and four 12.7mm machine guns.

At IDEX 2023, PT PAL had signed agreements with UAE companies such as Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), Marakeb Technologies, Zener Marine, Yahsat and Tasneef covering indigenous content to be included in the LPD. For example, at that time PT PAL signed a strategic partnership agreement with Marakeb for a combat management system. Nonetheless, Santiegel indicated the actual combat management system was coming from Italy.

Abdulla Saif Al Awani, Chief Economic Programme Officer at the governmental Tawazun Council, commented in 2023: “The localisation plan aims to enhance the capabilities of local entities in procuring end-user goods and services and to promote the use of local content by local companies. This collaboration will help us to further strengthen our capabilities, stimulate economic growth and development in the UAE by increasing the use of local resources and expertise.”

Indigenous content will include two high-speed interceptor boats and two rigid-hull inflatable boats, expected to be from ADSB. These are stored in alcoves on the hull sides below the flight deck.

PT PAL has created a lot of business building LPDs. Following a June 2022 contact, the Indonesian shipbuilder is currently constructing two 124m LPDs for the Philippine Navy, and these will later join two 123m Tarlac-class Strategic Sealift Vessels that Manila commissioned in 2016-17.

The keel for the Philippines’ first 124m-long, improved LPD was laid on 22 January 2024, the same day as first steel was cut for the second vessel. The keel for the second LPD was subsequently laid on 29 May 2024.

To date, the Indonesian Navy has commissioned five LPDs and two hospital ships based on the Makassar-class design.

👷 Naval News