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The Nangala, a German-built submarine constructed in 1977, was 44 years old at the time of sinking—well beyond the typical operational lifespan of 30 to 35 years. Despite undergoing routine maintenance and overhauls, the vessel's age raised critical questions about its seaworthiness and the Indonesian Navy's broader capacity to effectively defend its maritime interests. Notably, earlier maintenance issues, including problematic upgrades done in South Korea due to funding constraints, cast a shadow over the vessel's safety. In 2012, there was a fatal incident involving Nangala that revealed vulnerabilities in its systems, raising alarms on whether aging hardware, coupled with questionable recent upgrades, contributed to the 2021 tragedy.