Indonesian crews for Dutch patrol vessels

Could an Indonesian component of the Dutch fleet help reduce its manpower shortage?

Yes, especially for patrol vessels, provided the government funds the initial training and organisation needed to reduce later crewing demands.

The proposal builds on Indonesian auxiliaries trained in the late 1930s to serve alongside Dutch forces and operate smaller vessels. An Indonesian component of the fleet could ease the Netherlands' manpower shortage, especially on patrol vessels. Britain's use of Indian personnel supplies a possible model for that arrangement. Establishing and training the force would require an initial investment. Within the interwar procurement scenario, the naval planner would justify that expense to the government through lower future costs and reduced demand for crews from the Netherlands.