Royal Nusantara Navy 1922-1946:
General Information:
The following is an overview of warships of the Koninklijke Nusantara Marine (Royal Nusantara Navy) from the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty to the end of the conflict with Imperial Japan during World War II.
Background to 1922:
The naval arms race between the Dominion of Nusantara and the Japanese Empire began at the turn of the Twentieth Century following the victory of Japan in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). It was quickly realized by the Navy Ministry and the KNM Admiralty that there was now a formidable new opponent in the Far East and the country wasn’t prepared.
Since its founding in 1820, Nusantara had maintained a navy, but it was small compared to the Great Powers of Europe as there were no neighboring nations posing a threat and the country was on good terms with the home country; the Netherlands, as well as the UK. In the latter half of the Nineteenth Century, relations grew with the US, and Germany following the latter’s unification in 1871, and by 1900, a number of the KNM’s ships had been built in foreign shipyards and most of Nusantara’s heavy weapons were purchased from overseas as well.
To counter the Japanese buildup prior to the war with Russia, Nusantara had embarked on a building program focused on battleships, including the first indigenously designed and built examples. By 1908, the pre-dreadnoughts of the Marapi (3), Semeru (2) and Hiri (2) classes had commissioned. In addition, two new armored cruisers of the Bengkulu class had entered service by the end of 1911.
But by then, the launch of the revolutionary HMS Dreadnought in 1906 and HMS Invincible – the world’s first battlecruiser a year later – had changed everything.
Nusantara’s first modern capital ships were the Toba (2) and Kerinci (3) classes which, although well-armed and armored for their time, were still somewhat inferior to their Japanese contemporaries. The next class of battleships, however, would have equaled their potential opponents – even the powerful Nagato class, both of which had been launched by 1920. The six Lewotobi class “super-dreadnoughts” were laid down in 1921 as a direct response to the newest Japanese battleships. In addition, a new class of battlecruiser to supplement the Toba class was planned for 1922-23.
This large (and expensive) building program, although not directly part of it, paralleled a new naval arms race among the victors of the Great War. The US, UK, and Japan had all embarked on massive new programs by 1920, which were cut short by the Washington Navel Conference of November, 1921.
Intended to curtail the rising costs of these programs as well as “level the playing field” for capital ships, the conference was called by the US to be held in Washington DC. The original invitees were the UK, Japan, France, and Italy – together with the host country the five largest navies in the world. Japan, recognizing an opportunity, insisted on inviting Nusantara as well, hoping to hobble this potential rival for the foreseeable future.
Although the resulting treaty established limits on numbers, displacement and armament for capital ships for all signatories, Japan’s delegation came away angered by the inferior build ratio they received compared to the US and UK, which they had lobbied for equality with.
Also, they were disappointed with Nusantara’s terms – which not only gave them a better ratio – between Japan and France/Italy – than Japan had wanted, but also allowed them to complete four of the Lewotobi class battleships then under construction, and convert the remaining two hulls into aircraft carriers in order to come up to treaty limits.
And although Japan would abide by the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty for the most part, it chaffed under its restrictions, eventually abandoning the Treaty around 1935 – ironically triggering another arms race with Nusantara in the years leading up to the outbreak of war in July of 1941.
Capital Ships:
Toba class battlecruisers:
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6gb76vohpyhlk7j97w6kf/B8-Toba-1914.png?rlkey=y00cw3qpdkvo8es1h7k6sndw9&st=00m3hhtf&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/i6y2rnau8j65uapgaiqsa/B9-Dieng-1915.png?rlkey=s9ryb7wb2b8mp09jjwt7djfxn&st=igvpmln4&dl=1)
In class: (2) Toba (built in Germany), Dieng
Built: 1911-1915
In commission: 1914-1945
Displacement: 24,700 tonnes standard, 29,960 tonnes full load
Dimensions: Length 200.6m, beam 28.5m, draft 9.3m
Propulsion: 4-shaft geared turbines; 12 mixed coal/oil-fired boilers; 81,820shp
Performance: 27 knots; 8,000 nautical miles range
Armor: 300mm belt; 80mm deck; 270mm turret; 250mm barbette; 350mm conning tower
Armament: 10 x 305mm (5 x 2); 12 x 150mm; 12 x 88mm; 4 x 500mm torpedo tubes (submerged)
Crew: 1,230
Kerinci (ex-Rinjani) class battleships:
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vhfg91ffl9btt3d8j22by/B10-ex-Rinjani-1920.png?rlkey=t1buba1tt6rw6kte8u7ypow7h&st=2ifhzoa0&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/293b2hs9ctygogc6oqwnt/B11-Kerinci-1916.png?rlkey=u4qv7zzx7uhonfji0sdy5by2b&st=kp075vcp&dl=1)
In class: (3) De Zeven Provincien (ex-Rinjani, built in Germany); Kerinci, Merbabu, Agung, Sindoro (cancelled)
Built: 1912-1918
In commission: 1916-1956; De Zeven Provincien 1920-1960 (w/RNN)
Displacement: 26,400 tonnes standard, 31,700 tonnes full load
Dimensions: Length 179.8m, beam 29.0m, draft 8.8m
Propulsion: 3-shaft geared turbines; 15 mixed coal/oil-fired boilers; 49,600shp
Performance: 23 knots; 8,000 nautical miles range
Armor: 350mm belt; 90mm deck; 320mm turret; 310mm barbette; 360mm conning tower
Armament: 10 x 343mm (5 x 2); 14 x 150mm; 10 x 88mm; 4 x 500mm torpedo tubes (submerged)
Crew: 1,300
Lewotobi class battleships:
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/v3yrtk2sw5kfwbxto068q/B15-Lewotobi-1925.png?rlkey=pe646ib8onvw1ov46snk0phar&st=48ieh40z&dl=1)
In class: (4) Lewotobi, Hiri, Nokilalaki, Binalya, Masurai (cancelled WNT, re-ordered as CV), Ranau (cancelled WNT, re-ordered as CV)
Built: 1921-1925
In commission: 1925-1956
Displacement: 33,400 tonnes standard, 38,200 tonnes full load
Dimensions: Length 210.0m, beam 32.0m, draft 9.0m
Propulsion: 4-shaft geared turbines; 20 oil-fired boilers; 73,130shp
Performance: 25 knots; 10,000 nautical miles range
Armor: 340mm belt; 120mm deck; 380mm turret; 360mm barbette; 380mm conning tower
Armament: 12 x 343mm (4 x 3); 12 x 150mm; 8 x 102mm; 2 x 550mm torpedo tubes (submerged)
Crew: 1,500
More to come!
Cheers!
Stealthjester
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/btnww5h43q4d6mflmvi82/B21-Iya-1941.png?rlkey=gmxczmsdxgkgfyoplk946621p&st=n36y1hga&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/kdtjc9iv0j80cf87unwqd/B26-Sindoro-1942.png?rlkey=8pzrlx3xtsuhtr5bea1v29cjj&st=2ntrp626&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m6llgzo4ajqmo2botcc61/B29-Van-Oranje-1944.png?rlkey=gvk59qe3teb9vlcrzufmlhhm4&st=7u1iv7an&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0mplpc8rdks7suu2mdegt/B30-Ranau-1944.png?rlkey=kbgsnd7306vkiwro288ckuw8x&st=fmekqp76&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/21bkv2msyc0ih39ee9qqu/B35-Talakmau-1945.png?rlkey=p376jxz5szhzytwm5u321fr2r&st=fh7ntkmt&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/wz0j4iuthbhopymivr7hj/A1-Havik-1927.png?rlkey=d1qol17xowyjq4v9ysbftw4ys&st=qon8p70t&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/u5mb9bcef4vsmg1ovonfu/A3-Torenvalk-1941.png?rlkey=ascl6x3w5vyiv17cnoc38qaek&st=gg4rp7nn&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/0usliwria92l5azqh2cq9/A5-Adelaar-1942.png?rlkey=m3rcxjmb1pk81c7aplnh4vwc7&st=zz3oauy5&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/haeaqylmksfbpfredlhse/A9-Uil-1943.png?rlkey=razagsvowmwobhgei4xach09d&st=1dgo1noi&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zgc23kao0yeq5c9neuny7/A19-Kiekendief-1944.png?rlkey=kowa9k5bpc04lsinpun7gb3fd&st=f57giagc&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zt0m7kzenfqd9ygedd8xp/A29-Bali-1943.png?rlkey=u9mam0x0g60hgwgmq24k5ajmd&st=c8eo9978&dl=1)
![[ img ]](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/e39jth3oesn2iktmv55l7/A49-Ijsvogel-1946.png?rlkey=g4nfed8l2tbbsx16z58csrn7d&st=zlozqoho&dl=1)