NAVY ASSIGNS PT PAL TO BUILD LANDING SHIP TANKS

Jakarta, March 22 (ANTARA) - The navy has ordered PT PAL to build new landing ship tanks (LST) to replace seven old ones made in USA which will be grounded soon.

Navy spokesman Col Heri Setianegara said when asked to confirm about it by ANTARA here on Monday that the grounding process of the seven LSTs made in 1942 and 1945 had already started.

"We will operate the ships until their expiry and then we will ground them and replace them with the new ones. We have already asked PT PAL to build seven new LSTs," he said.

He said the seven old LSTs are still operational under the Military Seaborn Command.

The seven LSTs to be grounded are KRI Teluk Langsa 501, KRI Teluk Bayur 502, KRI Teluk Kau 504, KRI Teluk Tomini 508, KRI Teluk Ratai 509, KRI Teluk Saleh 516 and KRI Teluk Bone 511.

PT PAL's president director Harsusanto said in a separate occoasion that until 2014 PT PAL has received contracts from the defense ministry and the navy to build two submarines, two destroyes, 11 units of KCR-40, seven LSTs, 17 amphibious tanks and retrofit 25 naval ships.