Indonesia Receives First 12 US-Made AAV M-35 Armored Carriers

Indonesia has received and commissioned its first batch of American-made AAV M-35 amphibious armored personnel carriers to replace aging fleet equipment, filling a capability gap left by unfulfilled Russian vehicle orders, according to a report by Defense Express. The initial delivery consists of 12 vehicles, part of a broader procurement plan for 35 amphibious units destined for the Indonesian Marine Corps.

Indonesian Marine Corps Vehicle Fleet Inventory

The newly arrived American personnel carriers join an already diverse mechanized inventory operated by the Indonesian Marines. Defense Express notes that the branch currently utilizes 34 French-designed AMX-10P infantry fighting vehicles, 23 BVP-2s, 54 BMP-3Fs, 12 BTR-80s, five BTR-4s, and more than 120 BTR-50s.

In addition to those platforms, the Marines operate 15 LVTP-7A1 vehicles previously acquired from South Korea. With the arrival of the new shipment, the total number of AAV-7 family vehicles in Indonesian service reaches 27 units.

Unfulfilled Russian Contract Prompts Alternative Acquisition

The procurement of the American vehicles follows the collapse of a prior acquisition plan intended to modernize the fleet and phase out older BTR-50s. Indonesia held a competitive tender in 2017 that pitted Ukraine’s BTR-4V1 and BTR-4V2 models against Russia’s BT-3F and additional BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles. The Russian BT-3F proposal won the competition.

Despite the selection, Defense Express reports that no deliveries were ever executed under the project. Analysts attribute the failure either to the BT-3F lacking readiness for production—having only entered Russian state trials in 2025—or to subsequent shifts in bilateral political relations.

Condition and Maintenance of Surplus American Equipment

Left without the expected Russian hardware, Indonesia turned to the United States as a partial solution by acquiring surplus AAV-7A1 platforms recently retired from American military service. These secondhand vehicles arrive in worn condition, and Defense Express highlights that such platforms can suffer from water leaks, issues that contributed to fatal operational incidents within the United States military.

However, because the Indonesian military already possesses experience maintaining vehicles from the same equipment family, local technicians are positioned to perform necessary repairs. Acquiring used hardware offers a budget-friendly option for immediate fleet augmentation.

Future Modernization Plans for Amphibious Forces

Looking toward long-term modernization, Indonesia’s Marine Corps could eventually adopt South Korea’s newly developed KAAV-II amphibious vehicle. Physical prototypes of the KAAV-II have already been constructed for South Korea’s domestic requirements, and export opportunities are expected to follow.

Indonesia previously operated 15 similar South Korean LVTP-7A1 vehicles, establishing a historical precedent for defense procurement between Jakarta and Seoul.