Indonesia's Leverage: Strait of Malacca

[serious_fun]

Needless to remind most readers here about the strategic 'corridor' through which approx. 80% of China's energy imports travels.

This article discusses recent moves between the US and the RI, specifically a 'Major Defense Cooperation Partnership'.

Recent discoveries of UUVs in Indonesian waters only prove what many have known for many years: Indonesia doesn't have the capability to detect & defend its significant assets.

Local media outlets have been focused on the overflight issue, but in my humble (non-military) opinion, the subsurface/marine issues far outweigh the airspace.

 

[Balifrog]

Needless to remind most readers here about the strategic 'corridor' through which approx. 80% of China's energy imports travels.

This article discusses recent moves between the US and the RI, specifically a 'Major Defense Cooperation Partnership'.

Recent discoveries of UUVs in Indonesian waters only prove what many have known for many years: Indonesia doesn't have the capability to detect & defend its significant assets.

Local media outlets have been focused on the overflight issue, but in my humble (non-military) opinion, the subsurface/marine issues far outweigh the airspace.

Forget about submarines.....

"he Malacca Strait is relatively shallow, with depths in the southern section generally around 90 feet (27 meters) and a minimum depth of 25 meters (about 82 feet) in some channels, making it a critical, narrow bottleneck for shipping. The depth increases toward the northwest, reaching about 650 feet (200 meters) as it merges with the Andaman"

• Shallowest Point:At its narrowest, the channel is just 25 meters deep, causing navigation challenges for very large crude carriers (VLCCs)
  .
• • Average Depths: In the southern portion, depths often range between 90 to 120 feet (27–37 meters).
  • Northern Section: Deepens gradually to 200 meters (about 650 feet) as it opens into the Andaman Sea.
  • Draft Restrictions: Due to its shallow nature, large ships with a draft over 20 meters must navigate carefully.