Prof Dr Ir Agoes Santoso MSc MPhil CEng FIMarEST MRINA while conducting a review of the functional test of the ADRI LIII ship he designed with the ITS team

ITS Campus, ITS News — Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) has once again achieved success and contributed to domestic technological progress, particularly regarding national defense. This time, the design team from the Department of Marine Engineering (DTSP) ITS successfully designed a Landing Craft Utility 2,500 DWT type ship, simultaneously becoming the largest multifunctional warship owned by the Indonesian Army (TNI AD).

The ship, named ADRI LIII, was officially handed over to the Indonesian Army on July 14, 2025. With a length of 102 meters and a width of 18 meters, ADRI LIII is designed to be capable of transporting various types of primary weaponry defense systems (alutsista) up to a capacity of 2,500 Deadweight Tonnage (DWT).

Head of the Postgraduate Study Program at DTSP ITS, Prof Dr Ir Agoes Santoso MSc MPhil CEng FIMarEST MRINA, revealed that the ship’s construction process was carried out over two years, from 2023 to 2025. Worked on by a team from DTSP ITS involving collaboration between lecturers, students, alumni, and also involving participation from the Surabaya State Shipbuilding Polytechnic (PPNS).

In supporting the design process, the DTSP ITS team developed a special spreadsheet and database that allows for technical consistency to be applied to various ship designs. “However, the process requires precision to implement class regulations and standards from the Ministry of Defense (Kemhan) RI,” continued Agoes, who acted as the lead designer of this ADRI LIII.

This Professor of Marine Engineering at ITS explained that the crucial stage in ship design lies in the creation of key-plan drawings which must meet standards to guarantee the strength, comfort, safety, and operational life of the ship. The DTSP ITS team worked on the entire design process, from the exterior, construction, outfitting, machinery, electricity, to the interior of the ship. “ITS was also involved to assist and evaluate its physical construction until the ship’s function test,” he said.

Prof Dr Ir Agoes Santoso MSc MPhil CEng FIMarEST MRINA (right) with students and shipyard staff after conducting the Ship Inclining Test

After the entire design and physical construction process of the ship was completed, a series of tests were conducted to ensure all systems and facilities ran according to plan. At this stage, all weaponry systems designed to be carried by the ship, ranging from tactical vehicles, cars, tanks to other combat equipment, had to be successfully loaded and arranged according to capacity. “In addition, also testing the ship’s performance to guarantee human comfort inside it,” added the Head of the Warship Design Center at the ITS Maritime Science Techno Park (STP).

Furthermore, Agoes conveyed that the Indonesian Army gave a positive response to this ADRI LIII and is confident that they will prioritize ITS more for other ship design jobs in the future. “Facilities built by the Ministry of Defense can be utilized maximally thanks to the support of expertise from ITS which is competent in ship planning,” he emphasized convincingly.

This success aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) point 9, namely Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. It shows ITS’s real commitment to supporting innovation and national defense industry infrastructure. “Hopefully this can open more opportunities for military ship development in Indonesia and develop scholarship at ITS,” closed Agoes optimistically. (ITS PUBLIC RELATIONS)

Reporter: Nailah Rifdah Zakiyah