Malaysia Officially Acquires Three Littoral Mission (LMS) Warships from Turkey
In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), SSB President Prof. Dr. Haluk Gorgun stated that Savunma Teknolojieri Muhendiskil (STM) as the main contractor, will construct three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) Batch 2 in Turkey to meet the requirements of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Malaysia Ministry of Defense has officially signed a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) with Turkey’s Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB) for the procurement of Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) Batch 2 for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
The agreement was signed by the the country Minister of Defense, Datuk Seri Mohamad Khaled Nordin and SSB President Prof. Dr. Haluk Gorgun.
The Malaysian Defense Minister is currently in Turkey for a five-day working visit.
Mohamed Khaled stated on X (formerly known Twitter) that STM commits to completing the construction of the three LMS Batch 2 warships within the set timeline of three and a half years.
Previously, both parties had signed a Government-to-Government (G2G) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the acquisition of defense products.
Through a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter), Gorgun announced that Savunma Teknolojieri Muhendiskil (STM) as the main contractor, will construct three LMS Batch 2 vessels in Turkey to fulfill RMN requirements.
He also noted that products from several Turkish defense companies, including Havelsan, Aselsan, and Roketsan, would be featured in these warships.
Although unconfirmed, the inclusion of Roketsan suggests that these vessels are likely to be equipped with ATMACA anti-ship missiles.
In a recent parliamentary response to a query from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) on March 13, Mohamed Khaled stated that STM had received a Letter of Intent regarding the LMS Batch 2 ships for the RMN.
“The Ministry of Defense will proceed with the acquisition of Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) through a direct negotiation Government to Government (G to G) approach with the Turkish government-associated company, STM,” the Defense Minister said.
The Ministry of Finance approved this procurement on January 18, 2024, followed by the issuance of a letter of intent to STM on February 5, 2024, with negotiations set to continue.
The vessels, likely based on the ADA-class corvette design used by the navies of Turkey, Pakistan, and Ukraine, are expected to enhance the operational capabilities of the RMN.
These corvettes, part of Turkey’s national warship program MILGEM, are designed as anti-submarine and patrol vessels, powered by a Combined Diesel and Gas (CODAG) system allowing speeds up to 30 knots and an operational range of 3,500 nautical miles at 15 knots.
The 99.56-meter long Ada-class corvettes, with a maximum displacement of 2,400 tons, are equipped with advanced systems including HAVELSAN’s GENESIS combat management system, Electronic Chart Precise Integrated Navigation System (ECPINS), Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), SMART-S Mk2 search radar, X-band radar, and fire control radar.
Armaments include an Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun, two Remote Control Weapon Systems (RCWS) 12.7mm, and eight ATMACA anti-ship missile launchers developed by Roketsan, as well as anti-aircraft RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) and two 324 mm Mk. 46 torpedo launchers.
Final specifications for the RMN’s LMS Batch 2 vessels will be negotiated between the RMN and STM.
Despite selecting the ADA-class design, the RMN will determine the specific physical and technical specifications of the LMS Batch 2 vessels. — DSA
