This is a remake of the heavy tank Concept 130 'Singa' that I originally created back in February.

KRE-129 is a revolutionary experimental heavy tank developed by Indonesia during the period of 1949 to 1952. Known as one of the most ambitious and innovative armored vehicle projects to emerge from Southeast Asia in the post–World War II era, the KRE-129 was once dubbed “the most perfect tank of its time.”

However, like many military masterpieces that were born too early, the project was eventually forgotten—left behind by the rapid advancement of technologies such as guided missiles (ATGMs) and APFSDS projectiles, which rendered conventional tanks increasingly obsolete in future warfare.

History:

In 1949, the world witnessed rapid developments in military technology following WWII. The Soviet Union introduced the concept of the Unmanned Turret, where some of the crew—such as the commander and gunner—were no longer positioned in the main turret, but instead in the turret basket or even inside the hull. While still in its infancy, this technology inspired many countries.

Indonesia—at the time building up its military strength following independence—saw great potential in this approach. Backed by technical cooperation with France and West Germany, Indonesia launched the Experimental Armored Vehicle Concept (KRE) project, which included a full line of combat vehicles: tanks, tank destroyers, IFVs, and SPGs. One of its peak prototypes was the KRE-129, a heavy tank featuring state-of-the-art technology for its time.

The concept mock-up of the KRE-129 was completed on October 18, 1949, to present the vehicle's design to military officers and the Indonesian President. It was approved for prototype production, and by August 9, 1952, 9 prototypes were built and tested. The trials lasted until August 16, 1952. The results? Extremely satisfying.

Not only could it traverse all types of terrain with ease, but its deadly 135 mm autoloading cannon could easily pierce the armor of the IS-2 (which had been purchased by Indonesia). The 20 mm automatic cannon was effective against lightly to moderately armored vehicles, while the 15 mm machine gun was excellent against infantry and could even penetrate light armor.

One day after testing, the KRE-129 was revealed to the public during a military parade in the capital, Jakarta, to celebrate Indonesian Independence Day on August 17.

However, due to its heavy weight, expensive engine, long dimensions, and changes in Indonesia’s military doctrine which began to favor light and medium tanks—and a presidential preference for the development of guided munitions such as ATGMs and APFSDS rounds—the KRE-129 was never mass-produced.

Despite production costs being comparable to the USSR's IS-7, this tank never entered full-scale production. In the end, 6 units of the KRE-129 were scrapped, and the remaining 3 units were preserved in TNI AD Dharma Wiratama Museum, Brawijaya Museum, and Satria Mandala Museum. If you want to see the KRE-129 in person, you can visit one of the aforementioned museums.

Control:

Yaw: to rotate the tank
Pitch: to elevate the gun
Roll: to rotate the turret
Trim: To move
AG1: To activate AA Auto-aim
AG2: To drop the side skirt
AG3: to turn on the lamps

Gallery: