Defense Minister Sjafrie Hands Over 12 US-Made AAV M-35 Amphibious Combat Vehicles to Pasmar 1 in Cilandak
Baharudin Al Farisi
28 September 2026
AAV M-35, a US-made amphibious combat vehicle, lined up at the Hartono Marine Base parade ground of the Indonesian Marine Corps’ Pasmar 1 in Cilandak, Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Monday (September 28, 2026). (KOMPAS.com/BAHARUDIN AL FARISI)
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin officially handed over
12 US-made AAV M-35 amphibious combat vehicles to the Indonesian Navy Marine Corps’
1st Marine Force (Pasmar 1) on Monday (September 28, 2026).
Sjafrie symbolically handed over the vehicles to Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) Commander General Agus Subiyanto.
The vehicles were subsequently handed over to Indonesian Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Muhammad Ali and then to Marine Corps Commandant Lieutenant General (Marines) Endi Supardi.
“This morning, we witnessed the official acceptance of 12
Assault Amphibious Vehicle 7 (AAV7) units,” Ali said at Pasmar 1 headquarters in Cilandak, Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, on Monday.
The vehicles are the
AAV7A1 RAM/RS variant of the AAV. The Indonesian Navy Marine Corps has designated the vehicles
AAV M-35.
The M-35 designation has a specific meaning.
The letter “M” stands for
Marines, while the number “3” represents the vehicle’s three crew members: the vehicle commander, driver, and gunner.
The number “5,” meanwhile, represents the vehicle’s ability to operate at sea in conditions of up to
Sea State 5.
This capability allows the AAV M-35 to support amphibious operations, including movement from sea to shore.
Ali explained that the vehicles were procured by Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense through the US government’s
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
“We received a special price from the United States because we have close ties with the US Marines. The relationship between the US Marines and the Indonesian Marines is very good,” he said.
Ali said the AAV M-35 is newer and more modern than the LVT-7 previously operated by the Indonesian Navy Marine Corps and acquired from South Korea.
In addition to military operations, Ali said the vehicles can also be deployed to support nonmilitary missions.
With the latest addition, the number of AAV M-35s to be received by the Indonesian Navy will increase to
35 units.
Another
23 vehicles from the first procurement batch are scheduled to arrive in Indonesia at the end of November 2026.
Procurement of the AAV M-35 will not stop at 35 vehicles.
Ali said the Indonesian Navy is expected to receive an additional
70 vehicles in stages. Of these,
35 are scheduled to arrive in 2027 and another 35 in 2028.
“Hopefully, another 35 will arrive in 2027, followed by another 35 in 2028. So there will be 70 more vehicles coming,” he explained.
This would bring
the total number of AAV M-35 amphibious combat vehicles planned for the Indonesian Marine Corps to 105 units.
According to Ali, the vehicles will eventually be distributed among the Marine Corps’ three main forces:
Pasmar 1, Pasmar 2, and Pasmar 3.
Menteri Pertahanan serahkan 12 ranpur amfibi AAV M-35 ke Korps Marinir TNI AL. Langkah strategis perkuat alutsista dengan dukungan AS, total hingga 105 unit!
nasional.kompas.com
United States Delivers Assault Amphibious Vehicles to Indonesian Marine Corps, Strengthening U.S.-Indonesia Defense Partnership
By
U.S. Embassy Jakarta
JAKARTA, Indonesia — The United States today witnessed the handover of
Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs) to the
Indonesian Marine Corps (KORMAR) during a welcoming ceremony held at the parade ground of the
6th Marine Infantry Battalion Headquarters in Cilandak, Jakarta.
The handover marks an important milestone in the defense partnership between the United States and Indonesia.
U.S. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Aqueelah T. Johnson attended the ceremony alongside Indonesian Defense Minister
Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) Commander
General Agus Subiyanto, and several TNI service chiefs. The ceremony marked the successful delivery of the equipment while reflecting the strong security cooperation between the United States and Indonesia.
“Indonesia’s acquisition of Assault Amphibious Vehicles demonstrates our shared commitment to enhancing security and readiness across the Indo-Pacific region through the modernization of defense equipment,” said U.S. Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Aqueelah T. Johnson.
“I am proud to see that the partnership we continue to build is further strengthening regional security through the use of
combat-proven, U.S.-made platforms.”
In this initial phase, the
Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) is procuring
35 AAVs valued at more than US$23 million, marking Indonesia’s first large-scale purchase in several years through the
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program with the United States.
The first
12 vehicles arrived on September 22, comprising
11 AAVP7 personnel carrier variants and one AAVC7 command variant. The Indonesian Marine Corps and the United States Marine Corps both recognize the proven combat performance of this generation of AAVs, which will provide the Indonesian Navy with new and enhanced capabilities to support
ship-to-shore operations.
Indonesia plans to acquire an additional
70 AAVs to strengthen operational capabilities across the Indonesian archipelago.
The United States looks forward to continuing its partnership with Indonesia as the country considers further opportunities to strengthen the capabilities of the Indonesian Marine Corps. The United States remains committed to supporting Indonesia’s defense modernization efforts and advancing a strong and enduring security partnership in support of
peace, stability, and readiness across the Indo-Pacific region.
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