Malaysia’s Navy Flexes Combat Power: Live Exocet Missile and Black Shark Torpedo Drills in South China Sea

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In a powerful demonstration of maritime strike capability and deterrence, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has executed live launches of Exocet anti-ship missiles and heavyweight Black Shark torpedoes in the high-stakes Exercise Taming Sari 23/25, reinforcing the country’s combat readiness across the strategically contested South China Sea.

The high-visibility launches were personally observed by Malaysia’s Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, underlining the national and regional significance of the drills.

 

“This exercise is essential for the Navy to enhance its readiness, capability, and competence,” said the Minister, emphasizing the imperative of human performance and strategic posture alongside hardware.

“One of the key things we must understand is the importance of readiness. Our defence doctrine is not about attacking other nations—it is about defending the nation, and defending requires not only possessing assets but ensuring that our personnel have the capability to execute their responsibilities,” he said in a media briefing held in Kota Kinabalu.

The exercise featured the participation of 17 RMN warships, two Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft, and three naval helicopters, in one of the most comprehensive force-on-force maritime readiness events Malaysia has conducted in recent years.

The missile firings were carried out by frigates KD Lekiu and KD Lekir, which launched Exocet MM40 Block 2 anti-ship missiles, while Scorpène-class submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman executed an underwater launch of the SM39 submarine-launched variant of the Exocet missile.

In a historic milestone for Malaysia’s submarine force, the KD Tun Razak carried out the country’s first-ever operational live firing of a Black Shark heavyweight torpedo in a full war configuration, further consolidating TLDM’s underwater combat credibility.

“The success of these launches—both missile and torpedo—clearly demonstrates the Navy’s serious commitment to capability projection and determination in defending the sovereignty and maritime integrity of Malaysia,” said TLDM in its official statement.

The live-fire component of Exercise Taming Sari 23/25 was held in conjunction with Exercise Kerismas 28/25, both conducted from 8 to 31 July 2025, and stretched across a broad segment of Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea.

 

Both exercises commenced from TLDM Lumut Naval Base and concluded at TLDM Kota Kinabalu Naval Base, representing a full-spectrum naval deployment from peninsular to eastern waters.

“These exercises reflect the Navy’s real-time readiness and current capabilities in defending sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national maritime interests,” the Navy emphasized.

In addition to validating weapons performance, the exercises were designed to rigorously test, evaluate, and improve naval doctrine, command procedures, and operational readiness in responding to conventional maritime warfare threats.

The exercise also served as a strategic joint platform to enhance inter-agency operational synergy, involving not just the Navy but also the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Air Force, and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in a unified security architecture.

Exocet MM40 Block 2: Reliable Sea-Skimming Strike Power

The Exocet MM40 Block 2, developed by European missile manufacturer MBDA, remains a globally trusted anti-ship weapon deployed by over 30 navies worldwide, including Malaysia’s TLDM.

Measuring 5.8 meters in length with a diameter of 350 mm, the missile weighs approximately 870 kilograms and is equipped with a 165-kilogram high-explosive semi-armour piercing warhead, optimized to cripple or sink enemy vessels with devastating precision.

The missile’s operational range of up to 70 kilometers allows RMN ships to engage enemy targets well outside the defensive envelope of typical close-in weapon systems (CIWS).

 

Mid-course guidance is handled by an Inertial Navigation System (INS), transitioning to Active Radar Homing in the terminal phase for autonomous, high-accuracy targeting.

Its sea-skimming flight profile, maintained at an altitude of 2–5 meters, allows it to slip under enemy radar coverage, significantly increasing the probability of a successful strike.

It supports terminal attack modes including “pop-up” dives or continuous low-level horizontal approaches, configurable based on mission requirements and threat environments.

The MM40 Block 2 is compatible with both ship-mounted launchers and land-based coastal defence systems, enhancing strategic deployment options across Malaysia’s littoral zones.

Powered by a solid-propellant booster and sustainer motor, it delivers a combination of reliability, speed, and cost-efficiency without the need for complex liquid fuel systems.

Exocet SM39: Submarine-Launched Stealth Strike

The Exocet SM39, a submarine-launched variant of the Exocet series, enables Malaysia’s Scorpène-class submarines to execute standoff surface attack missions while remaining completely submerged.

Encapsulated in a watertight launch canister, the missile is ejected via torpedo tube, then breaches the surface and ignites its solid rocket motor before guiding itself to target using inertial and active radar systems.

 

This capability allows TLDM submarines to strike surface combatants and high-value targets without revealing their position—crucial for stealth deterrence and area denial in contested waters.

Black Shark Heavyweight Torpedo: Deep Strike from the Depths

The Black Shark torpedo, developed by Italy’s Leonardo S.p.A., is one of the most advanced heavyweight torpedoes in the world, specifically designed for blue-water and littoral combat operations.

At 6.3 meters in length and weighing approximately 1,550 kilograms, the Black Shark is equipped with a 250-kilogram high-explosive warhead, capable of destroying heavily armoured vessels and submarines.

It uses a multi-mode guidance suite comprising:

• Inertial navigation (INS) for initial travel,
• Active and passive sonar homing,
• Digital acoustic processing to distinguish genuine targets from decoys,
• And fibre-optic wire guidance, allowing real-time operator input from the submarine.

Its ability to filter oceanic noise and reject acoustic decoys makes it exceptionally resistant to countermeasures in modern submarine warfare.

The torpedo has a maximum range of 50 kilometers and a top speed exceeding 50 knots (93 km/h), propelled by a high-efficiency electric motor powered by aluminium-silver oxide batteries.

These battery systems ensure minimal acoustic signature and maximum endurance across variable ocean depths, enabling silent long-distance strikes.

 

Designed for dual-role missions, Black Shark can engage both surface ships and submarines, tracking targets at different depths, speeds, and evasive profiles.

It is compatible with a wide array of submarine classes, including Malaysia’s Scorpène-class, and is also in service or testing with navies in Chile, Italy, and other NATO-aligned countries.

Strategic Context and Implications

Malaysia’s live-fire demonstration of Exocet and Black Shark systems comes amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping claims, great power naval deployments, and aggressive grey-zone tactics are shaping an increasingly volatile security environment.

The successful execution of such high-end naval drills reinforces Malaysia’s resolve to defend its maritime sovereignty and national security interests, while serving as a deterrent signal to any adversary contemplating encroachment within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

At a time when China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is expanding its footprint across Southeast Asian waters, and U.S. and allied forces increase their regional presence, Malaysia’s emphasis on indigenous readiness and credible force projection could play a pivotal role in preserving regional stability.