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KUALA LUMPUR: Sorry for the late update but as mentioned above its Better Late Than Never! The SLEP for the Kasturi which was first announced publicly at Lima 2007 has finally been given the go ahead. It was supposed to start last year but as the RMN chief stated in his New Year Message (2009) he was dismayed by the decision to defer the project.
The project is contracted for almost a billion ringgit for two ships, which are already more than 25 years old. I guess it will be faster to repair these tired ships rather than try to spend the time to persuade the powers that be that we need new ships and a lot of them ASAP!
I am not being cynical but I hazard to guess the contract signing will be done at Lima 2009 next November and with the “signing” the business done at the show has gone up by almost one billion.
As I mentioned before the SLEP should have been done years ago to validate the systems meant for the Kedah class. But we chose the long and unprofitable route….
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Boustead Unit Gets RM 703.823 Million Contract From Defence Ministry
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 (Bernama) — Boustead Holdings Bhd has been awarded a contract worth RM703.823 million from the Defence Ministry to undertake the Service Life Extension Programme of Kasturi Class Corvettes.
— Malaysian Defence
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What i m thinking is upgrading these 2 25 years old corvette just for temporary services only, until new vessel were purchased to replaced it in the future but the MAF/RMN should employed new up 2 date weaponery and sensors 2 these corvette to frigate standard, for exemples replaced with 100mm main gun with 57mm o 76mm, 30mm secondary gun to CIWS, adds VLS SAM, anti-subs weapons and improved SSM such as MBDA Excocet 3 and advanced radars and sensor. I suggest that instead with the more expensive F-2000 batch 2 project from UK, tried to get the other option like FREMM, F400 multi-role Frigates form France and Italian Shipyard, Russian Frigates are also will be best choice in term of cost or else we can ask the our local shipyard like Boustead to builds the frigates based on Meko A100 design with some modified it may cost less it seem to those company sucsessfully supply all 6 OPV to our navy.
really hope the goverment will announce for 2nd batch of lekiu class frigate and NGPV program this LIMA 2009 and also for additional MKM and new batch of the LHD for the navy which is expected to be included in the 10th Malaysian Plan.
Marhalim
From your photo, the SLEP doesn’t look very exciting. No SAMs and, worse of all, doesnt appear to be any helicopter hanger.
For a price tag of RM700 million, I’m disappointed.
Marhalim: As I had mentioned before Bouestead did proposed a SAM system but it was deemed too expensive.
Mohd Syameer Firdaus. I think if LKS still around we cannot make a new purchase. Trust me, he will say “wasting WANG RAKYAT”.
Surely we need a brand new weapon. Just pray for our safety…
Marhalim: Apart from LKS, the Armed Forces has its own enemies, and its mostly firiendly fire…..
That amount of money could arm Kedah class OPV with SAMs and SSM which is only armed with 57mm guns and other smaller calibre guns without any anti-air/ship guided missile. New ship but without teeth..
Marhalim: Yes but the people at Bouestead will be happy there is no need to lay off anyone….
with that amount of money and plus the 53 month lead time, the RMN might as well buy a new corvette a Sigma class maybe and “Derma” this 2 corvette to APMM. They’ll sure like it.
Marhalim: APMM does not want any more relics. Yes we might get one or two corvettes with the same amount of money but with RMN luck it will be in service in 2020….
I wouldn’t call the Kasturis ‘relics’ Marhalim, well mantained they still have lots of life in them. The CMS and Mirador electo-optical will eat up a lot of the RM700 million. A stepped up life extension [SLEP] was first mentioned publicly by the RMN Chief in the late 90’s. Apart from integration problems between the TACTICOS CMS and the 2 Emerlecs, he also said that the plotting table was located in an inconvenient position, the problem of removing the MM-38 launchers to gain access to vital machinery and design of the bow which took in a lot of water in heavy sea conditions. All in all, I feel that KD Kasturi and KD Lekir have served the nation well since being commissioned and will continue to do so.
Marhalim: In RMN service, both ships remained viable even without the SLEP but when/if handed over to MMEA, most of the weapons will be taken off and they will become instant relics. And the MMEA does not need relics….
Anyways, the FS1500 class I believe I was the forerunner of the original Meko Class the 140swhich were bought by many nations some two years after our ships enter service. Both ships are direct descendants of our current Kedah class.
Marhalim, apologies for being off-topic again.
1. Does anyone know what year Taming Sari was formed and when it stood down. And how many PC-7s were in the team?
2. The light attack squadron with PC-7s. When was it formed and was it meant to be solely a light attack squadron or did it also perform the FAC role? Thank you.
Marhalim: Correct me if I am wrong but if I remember correctly Taming Sari was formed in late 1994/early 1995 and stood down about a year later. It was to perform at Lima 95 but two planes collided while training prior to the show. I believed someone told me one of the planes had a high speed stall and the plane behind it collided it with. If I remember correctly the pilots survived the crash. Taming Sari had five planes, if I recalled correctly.
As of the PC-7 in the light attack role, I also believed it was stood up in 1993/1994 period but stood down a year or two later after a fatal crash in Kuantan. The pilot came down with the plane while on a low level training mission but died while he was being extracted from the cockpit. It was supposed to be meant for attack only.
I remember seeing them at the first LIMA in 91 or maybe it was LIMA 93, mymemory fails me.
After Taming Sari I think the RMAF formed another team with Hawks.
right now the RMAF using the SU30MKM for aerobatic show….the brand new aircraft i meant
Marhalim: Our boys need as much training on the Sukhois to get them fully operational. We are paying for the sins for having the luxury of having so many aircraft types for such a small air force….