SHAH ALAM: I have written in the past that there have been proposals for Malaysia to buy warships from China. The proposals include corvettes and multi-role support ships. And apparently the government is still keen about it though it has not yet wrapped up the deal.
Industry sources told Malaysian Defence that another Made in China proposal was floated recently, this time around a patrol vessel in the guise of the Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) as envisioned by the RMN 15-to-5 transformation plan.
The vessel proposed is to be around 70-metre, slightly smaller than the two training ships designed by DSME.
Under the 15-to-5 plan, the LMS will be the most numerous vessel in the RMN as it will be the cheapest to buy, operate and maintain. It will supplement the LCS and NGPV which will served as the backbone of the future RMN armada together with the submarines and MRSS.
Based on reports, around a dozen or so LMS are supposed to be built together with at least another 12 NGPV, four MRSS and two more Scorpenes.
Malaysian Defence report on the plan in March, this year.
RMN chief Admiral Ahmad Kamarulzaman Baharuddin said the 15-to-5 fleet transformation was part of its plan to strengthen and modernise its armada and be cost effective at the same time.
“If the transformation programme is endorsed by the government the replacement process will be done in stages. We will focus on building ships from the five classes harnessing the abilities of the local industry,”
According to Kamarulzaman, the LMS will be smaller, less capable and more importantly, less expensive than the LCS. It will be multi-mission ship capable of conducting patrols and other duties. Both the LMS and MRSS and the rest of the future armada will be locally built to reduce the procurement and maintenance costs.
Building locally was the main theme of the 15-to-5 plan. That is the reason they wanted more of the NGPV as the design is already owned by Boustead Naval Shipyard so it will be cheaper than DCNS-owned LCS.
Anyhow, as I reported previously, a proposal to buy China made warships – most likely the C28A corvettes ordered by the Algerian Navy, have been in the works in the last five years, which preceded the 15-to-5 plan.
The sources told Malaysian Defence that the plan to buy the two warships in the works for the last two years, was proposed by a group of businessmen from both countries supposedly to promote ties between Malaysia and China.
Senior defence ministry officials when contacted by Malaysian Defence confirmed the plan but declined further comment
The full report here.
Apparently the backers of the corvette deal are still at it as I have been told that progress has been made in the negotiations. As it is more mature than the LMS proposal, it is likely that it will get the go-ahead, according to my industry sources. When is the multi-million ringgit question.
The RMN, I am told, preferred the LMS as it fits nicely with its 15-to-5 plan. Whether or not this will be taken into consideration by the government is beyond me. As for the MRSS project, it has been shelved, I was told.
For the record, three C28A corvettes of the Algerian Navy made stop-overs in Port Klang as they sailed back for home, last year and this year.
With the 2017 Budget set to be announced in October, we will soon find out whether all the talk are real or not. And before I forget, Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha!
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (46)
The backers, same team corvette&LMS or 2 separate group? Perhaps a JV of MY-PRC who can roped in the usual EU naval contractors is more "edible to the mainbody". RMN told us the rough specs for a LMS, hope that this will be followed with RFI to MY shipbuilders. A pity MRSS is not considered.
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Different backers
Base on China made pakistan Azmat class fast attack crafts? cost just about $50 million each.
about 60 meter with 500 tons, suitable to replace all our 40 year old gun boat, FAC. but hopefully get better radar like Thales NS100 or MRR-3D， install Oto melara 40mm navy Gun.
hopefully project LMS can built up to 24 unit, since we need a lot in Melaka Strait, SCS and Sabah.
I am still in the opinion that we should opt for more capable version of gagah samudera class vessels. It is already as cheap is it can be while still maintaining a military spec built (tho additional armaments, electronic suite ad well as other countermeasures might cost extra)
Marhalim,
I think the graphic was not issued by TLDM, it's from an MMP post on March 22.
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Thanks, I deleted it. I took the graphic from the TLDM official twitter post. But since the status is doubtful, its best not to use it unlike some other people ...
Any info on the type of MRSS we're planning to procure?
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We are not buying one. If you want to know the type, its in my Lima 15 report.
The fit out of the LMS off course is dependent on funding but should also really be based on operational requirements. Given the endurance and range of any vessels of this displacement and it's limited self- defence capabilities [compared to the Lekius and LCs]; the main wartime role of this class will be sea denial, patrols, escort work, etc, all duties that will avoid this class coming into contact with better armed opponents or at least not for protracted periods. Ideally the class will also have railing for mines. The radar and other gear - whilst important - is secondary; far more important is for the class to be networked with the Lekis, Kasturis and LCS via Link Y or something else. A mini UAS along the likes of Scaneagle would also be useful - the RMN has bought the idea but the question is funding.
Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha to Marhalim and all readers.
this is a good news although i does not prefer made in china ship but we really need ship to cover our maritime. hope to see LMS get green light in the next budget.
what happend to our MRCA deal Marhalim?it been too quite.....
Chinese built ship? Errrrr do you think its reliable and advance? If the plan go through, i hope the electronic suite, radar system and weaponry are from European company.
1) getting a Chinese corvette is going to seriously derail the admiral's 15to5 concept. If you want Chinese stuff, incoperate them in the newbuild NGPV's as per my article here previously. (do put the article links here as a reference)
2) LMS. This would need a whole new way of thinking. Able to do things that NGPV and sgpv can't, and won't be majoring in things that they do. Must concentrate on combating non-state actor threats (speed boats, swarm tactics, terror tactics), and able to support mine countermeasures as a replacement of specialised MCM ships. Those LMS must also be seamlessly intergated and real time networked with all the coastal radar networks, floating bases, mmea and police. The LMS must replace the
- FAC(M)
- FAC (gun)
- Sandakan patrol squadron
- Jerai class MCM
- Fast troop ferrys
That is about 22 ships in total with wide variety of tasks.
.......,
There are no immediate plans to replace the Mahamiru class. It's younger than the FACs and the hull is in much better shape; not so worn out. Also, the class has benefited from upgrades to the extent the FACs haven't. From what I've heard there are no plans to get MCM modules for the LMS - at least not in the near term. On the FTVs, there is no urgency to replace them as they're relatively new and have a small footprint. Its the FACs and the Laksamanas that are worn out and are costing a bomb to maintain.
Buying Chinese is not an issue as all the main stuff; from the engines, to the shafts, right down to the radar and ventilation systems won't be Chinese. Anyhow, the RMN has no intention of buying Chinese sub systems unless it has its arm twisted. Adding Chinese stuff to follow on NGPVs doesn't make sense as the idea is to have as much commonality as possible. Even if stuff on the follow on NGPVs are different to the ones on the first 6; being Western sourced, they will have some level of commonality; especially when it comes to integrating them to the CMS.
IDontCare - ''Errrrr do you think its reliable and advance?''
Gone are the days when Chinese yards churned out hulls that suffered from build quality issues; times have changed.
Anyhow, the hull will be Chinese but there is no intention of getting Chinese radars, CMS or other gear. Even if we bought some Chinese gear on the assumption - that it's cheaper to buy; we would still have to fork out funds for integration and whatever cash that's saved from buying Chinese would be wasted on integration. The idea now to reduce out logistical/support footprint.
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Under the 15-to-5 plan, the Mahamiru class will be replaced by the LMS. When is the big question here. There is talk of MCMV modules, but when pressed, the people I talk could not give details so I left it that. My guess RMN has not done enough research on this yet but new hulls really excites every one.