Construction of Malaysia’s First Littoral Combat Ship “Maharaja Lela” Reaches 96.52% Completion
According to Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (on January 16), the construction of LCS 1, named Maharaja Lela, has reached 96.52 percent completion.
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – After years of setbacks and delays that nearly led to its cancellation, the construction of Malaysia’s first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS 1) is finally approaching completion.
The construction of remaining four vessels in the program are also progressing smoothly. The total cost of all five LCS units for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) stands at RM11 billion.
The construction of all five LCS vessel are undertaken by Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS) in Lumut.
According to Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (on January 16), the construction of LCS 1, named Maharaja Lela, has reached 96.52 percent completion.
“LCS 1 has already commenced its Harbour Acceptance Test (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Test (SAT),” he stated.
“The second Littoral Combat Ship, LCS 2, has been launched and is undergoing fitting-out works, while LCS 3 is in its final preparations for launch, scheduled for January 2026,” he said.
LCS 1 “Maharaja Lela”
The Harbour Acceptance Test (HAT) is a critical phase in the ship’s acceptance and testing process, conducted while the vessel remains docked at the port or shipyard.
It ensures that all onboard systems and equipment function correctly and meet specified standards before proceeding to sea trials (Sea Acceptance Test, SAT).
LCS 1 is expected to undergo two years of HAT and SAT phases before being officially commissioned into the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Minister Mohamed Khaled reported that the construction of LCS 2 has reached 86.61 percent completion, LCS 3 stands at 76.60 percent, LCS 4 at 65.05 percent and the fifth and final ship, LCS 5, is at 48.72 percent.
He previously announced that the first LCS is slated for handover to the RMN in August 2026.
LCS 1 “Maharaja Lela”
The Malaysian Defence Ministry is confident that all five vessels, valued at over RM11 billion, will be delivered to the Royal Malaysia Navy in stages starting from August 2026, as planned.
Once completed, the Maharaja Lela-class LCS will measure 111 meters in length and accommodate approximately 118 personnel, including officers and crew.
Powered by a Combined Diesel and Diesel (CODAD) propulsion system, these ships can achieve speeds exceeding 28 knots and have an operational range of up to 5,000 nautical miles at 15 knots.
This capability enables the RMN’s LCS fleet to operate farther and longer.
Due to their size, the vessels are equipped with a hangar and helipad capable of supporting medium-sized helicopters weighing between 10 and 12 tons, such as the EC725 and other models.
LCS 1 “Maharaja Lela”
In terms of weaponry, the Maharaja Lela-class ships will be armed with a BAE Systems Bofors 57mm naval gun featuring a stealth cupola designed to reduce the ship’s radar cross-section (RCS).
Additionally, they will be fitted with two MSI Defence DS30 MkII 30mm Remote Control Weapon Systems (RCWS) and J+S torpedo launchers.
For anti-ship warfare, the vessels will be equipped with Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) developed by Norway’s Kongsberg, with each ship carrying eight of these advanced missiles.
For air defense, the ships are expected to be fitted with the Vertical Launch (VL) MICA missile system developed by MBDA.
The Combat Management System (CMS) onboard will utilize the SETIS system, developed by France’s Naval Group.
LCS 2
Fire control will be managed by the Rheinmetall TMX/EO MKII radar, while electronic support measures (ESM) will be handled by the THALES VIGILE 100 ESM system.
The ships will also feature the THALES CAPTAS Variable Depth Sonar for underwater detection.
For countermeasure capabilities, the ships will employ the Super Barricade Decoy System. Communication systems will include Link 16 and Link 11 data links, as well as the THALES TUUM Underwater Communication System. — DSA