(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Malaysia Ministry of Defense is not interested in acquiring the frigate HMAS Anzac (FFH-150), which was decommissioned by the Royal Australian Navy last May, to meet the needs of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
This was clarified by Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin during a parliamentary session today.
He stated that the 3,600-ton HMAS Anzac, commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy in 1996, is “not suitable for temporary use by the RMN.”
“After thorough consideration, the RMN concluded that the HMAS Anzac is unsuitable due to issues such as equipment commonality and the high procurement costs, which are not beneficial for the government, especially if we proceed with the acquisition of HMAS Anzac.
“The procurement process is expected to be lengthy, extending until 2027, by which time we will already be equipped with two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), which will be delivered to the RMN and begin operations in 2027,” he said.
Additionally, Mohamed Khaled mentioned that the government recently procured three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) from Turkey, expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
“Thus, five ships (two LCS and three LMS) will commence service with the RMN.”
“Since almost all equipment on the HMAS Anzac differs, we have decided it is not suitable for acquisition by the RMN and does not serve the interests of the government and the Malaysian people,” he added.
Weighing 3,600 tons and measuring 118 meters in length, the HMAS Anzac is a frigate capable of conducting anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine missions, surveillance, and interception.
Built by Tenix Defence Systems, the frigate, which carries 177 crew members, can sail at speeds of up to 27 knots and operate within a range of 6,000 nautical miles.
It is equipped with “Harpoon” anti-ship missiles, Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) for anti-air operations, a 127mm gun, torpedoes, and an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter.
The HMAS Anzac was decommissioned on May 18, 2024.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Khaled also reported that the construction of the second LCS has progressed to 64.66 percent.
The third LCS is at 56.48 percent, the fourth at 51.10 percent, and the fifth at 42.33 percent.
He expressed confidence that the construction of the five LCS ships would be delivered to the RMN as scheduled, starting in August 2026.
The payment for the construction of the second LCS is based on the signed contract, not on the individual progress of each ship.
“In line with this, the government has paid RM7.15 billion, equivalent to 63.69 percent, compared to the original payment plan of 68.43 percent based on the contract and the current progress of all five LCS ships,” he said.
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) regarding the current percentage of the second LCS construction and the total payments made by the Ministry of Defense to Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS). — DSA