According to information published by the Indonesian company PT Pindad, on April 28, 2021, the company has officially launched the Tank Boat to undergone the first trials in the water. The boat will be used to conduct sea, river, and coastal operations.
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The Tank Boat of PT Pindad was launched on April 28, 2021. (Picture source PT Pindad)
The X18 Tank Boat is an innovative, fast, stealthy, and highly maneuverable catamaran design that provides a stable weapons platform for close-in and long-range direct fire support in normally inaccessible coastal and river environments.
The Tank Boat has an overall length of 18.00 m, a beam of 6.60 m, and a draught of 1.0 m. She has a crew of four and can accommodate up to 20 troops.
The Tank Boat is powered by two MAN 1200hp diesel engines and a pair of MJP450 waterjet propulsors. She can reach a top speed of 40 knots with a maximum cruising range of 600 Nautical Miles. With high-performance diesel engines and water jet propulsion. The twin hull configuration has excellent sea-keeping properties and the added advantage of shallow draft. Giving it the ability to execute beach and river landings and insert or extract squads of up to 20 Special Forces or Marines. The X18 Tank Boat has a crew of 6, and will also carry a High-speed Interdiction RIB for boarding and SEAL insertion.
The Tank Boat launched by PT Pindad is armed with a CPWS weapon station armed with one 30 mm automatic cannon which is mounted on the crew cabin. The second armament of the ship includes two heavy 12.7mm machine guns.
The Tank Boat can also be armed with a John Cockerill 3105 weapon station armed with a Cockerill 105mm HP Gun. Fully stabilized, accurate by day or night, and able to use a wide range of NATO standard 105mm ammunition, this weapon system directly engages a broad spectrum of targets at up to 5,000m range and indirectly engages targets to 10,000m range. The powerful, accurate and flexible Cockerill C3105 weapon system gives the X18 Tank Boat Commander a wide range of tactical options at all stages of his mission.
The 105mm is also capable of firing the Cockerill Falarick 105 Gun Launched Anti-Tank Guided Missile (GLATGM). Elevating to +42° the weapon delivers exceptional engagement capability in complex situations, and the GLATGM permits hard and Point targets to be engaged at extended ranges (up to 5 km).
