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Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
An Indonesian fisherman finds a similar object missile complete with cameras on Selayar Island, South Sulawesi last Christmas eve.
Australian Institute of Strategic Policy security and defense expert Malcolm Davis suspects that the object is an underwater drone sent by China to understand oceanography and the nature of the region’s underwater bathymetry.
According to ABC News, Davis said the incident was worth watching because the drone was found on a major sea lane linking the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean near mainland Australia.
Davis said this was a sign that the Chinese Navy was preparing to deploy submarines closer to the northern coast of Australia.
“This sends a signal that the Chinese Navy is preparing to deploy submarines closer to the north of Darwin and we must prepare for the prospect of submarine activity much closer to the north coast of Australia than ever before,” Davis said.
“They (China) need to understand the oceanography and bathymetry of the region, so that is the reason for the location of the glider,” he added.
According to various Indonesian media, the drone has a length of up to 225 centimeters with a wingspan of 50 centimeters and a 93-centimeter antenna.
Reported by The Guardian, according to the military news portal Naval News, UUV data can be invaluable to naval planners, particularly underwater operations.
“The better the navy knows the terrain, the better its ability to hide from enemies,” says the portal.
Initially, the drone was turned over to the police. However, TNI has currently seized the unmanned underwater vehicle and it is being investigated at the sixth major naval base in Makassar.
Indonesian security analyst Muhammad Fauzan said the drone was “very similar to China’s ‘Sea Wing’ UUV. If true, Fauzan said the discovery of this drone would raise many questions, especially how it could be found deep within the territory. Indonesian.
“In recent years, China has committed many crimes or even subversive activities in the region,” Fauzan said.
Similar incidents have occurred twice, namely in 2020 and 2019. In March 2019, fishermen found a similar Sea Wing UVV drone near Riau Island.
In early 2020, a Chinese underwater drone was also found near the Surabaya Naval Base.
So far, China has not commented on reports of seizures of its underwater drones in Indonesian waters.
(rds / on)
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