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• Definitely like the GO WIND class

• The winner is NAVANTIA... becouse they comes with an attractive offset and multi-power concept ship... and based on our Scopenne SSK success...

  Reply
  Yes, I am also inclined to believe that Navantia is favoured by Navy....

• If DCNS win the contract, the Pakatan MPs are gonna have one hell of a field day in parliament

• DCNS used to offer Bulgaria with GOWIND OPV 2000 tan with price tag usd 380 mill back in 2008 even with special discount.now RMN GOWIND over budget as claim by zahid Ibrahim..

  The basic Gowind design can be applied to ships from 1,100-4,000 tons displacement. The OPV is already under construction. It is a 1,100 ton ship with a crew of 60. It is armed with a 30mm autocannon (or a 76mm gun), two 12.7mm machine-guns and a water cannon. There is a ramp in the rear for quick deployment of rigid hull, inflatable speedboats (for boarding missions). The ship is a stealthy design, so it is harder to pick up on radar. The electronics include a 360 degree radar and a combat system optimized for the needs of coastal patrol and anti-smuggling and anti-pirate operations. This OPV can stay at sea for three weeks at a time.

  DCNS has had a real hard time selling the Gowind concept ships. Last year, for example, Bulgaria cancelled the purchase of four Gowind 200 frigates. But this is probably not the end of this deal, for it has been cancelled before. Three years ago, DCNS thought it had lost a deal to sell four Gowind 200 frigates to Bulgaria, because of a much cheaper Belgian offer. France responded by sweetening their offer, and cut the order to two corvettes (with the option to buy two more.)

  The original French offer was seen as a sweet deal for Bulgaria, with most of the work being done in Bulgaria, and hundreds of Bulgarians technicians getting specialized training in France. But it was expensive. Each of the 2,000 ton ships would cost about $380 million. Bulgaria is short of cash. To close the deal, DCNS offered to cut the price 13 percent.

• As per the post appearing in some blogs, the total cost for the 6 ships will work out to be RM10.0 billion. Hmm from RM6.0 billion for the 6 OPV's to now RM10.0billion and all quotes are now on the lower end of costs and with any additional equipment, and other assets like weapon systems, sensor systems etc etc the price can even be more than the stated RM10.0 Billion.

  Reply
  Its still Zaid claims, Lee...

• something malaysian should understand one of the reason why malaysia must have a strong and modern navy fleet in this region as to ensure our RMN still able to catch up with our neighbour sea power..

  http://navyleag.customer.netspace.net.au/fc_07ros.htm

  Reply
  If we were to play the catch up game we will never be able to do so... We should grow our forces based on sound strategy based on military, financial and political considerations. A knee jerk response has always leave one further behind.

• Interesting article recently in Aviation Week on China's DF-21D ASBM (anti-ship ballistic missile). Here are some quotes:

  "But for less technologically advanced navies of the Asia-Pacific region, it is becoming difficult to see how in the decades ahead they can stand up to an opponent that can target surface ships with hypersonic homing warheads that can range more than 1,500 km (900 mi.)—and perhaps much farther."

  "In the May 2011 issue of the U.S. Naval Institute journal Proceedings, two Pentagon strategists, Navy Capt. Henry Hendrix and Marine Corps Lt. Col. Noel Williams, urge immediate cessation of U.S. aircraft carrier construction. Noting such threats as the DF-21D, they write, “the march of technology is bringing the supercarrier era to an end, just as the new long-range strike capabilities of carrier aviation brought on the demise of the battleship era in the 1940s.”"

  "Skeptics respond that the DF-21D’s kill chain can be broken in several places—for example, in target detection and tracking before launch, communication of targeting data or final homing descent. Still, considering the crews and costs of surface ships, especially carriers, the stakes are high."

  "The views from China’s neighboring countries and Australia are even more sobering. From there, attacking the DF-21D kill chain must look like a challenge ranging from enormous to unthinkable. Over the past few years, the Asia-Pacific-region navies have increasingly shifted their resources to submarines. Japan intends to enlarge its submarine fleet to 24 from 18 and Australia, to 12 from six."

  Makes one wonder whether surface ships are just too vulnerable to mines, submarines, aircraft, cruise missiles and so on.

  The entire article appears in the July 18th issue of Aviation Week. (I don't want to waste Marhalim's space with a full post.)

• in another blog it is claimed that sigma and dcns are the finalist, i believe it is possible the price could reach RM10 billion for 6 ship as the costing of RM6 bliion for 6 ships were based on 2009/2010 estimates, nowdays commodities has moved up at least 15% to 20% and by the time they finish it up it could reach RM10 billion. Thats is how most project in malaysia anyway. It is not right but thats how things have evolved here. I believe it is more prudent to build 2 first and see how things evolved, especially with our growing budget deficit and poor financial management.

• Re: Marhalim "If we were to play the catch up game we will never be able to do so… We should grow our forces based on sound strategy based on military, financial and political considerations. A knee jerk response has always leave one further behind."

  100% correct!

• It seem like the government cannot win on this.

  Just consider the following facts. DCNS product (DELTA) currently being used by RSN. On the other hand DSNS (SIGMA) being used by the Indon. One known to be professional and through in their procurement process and one of the least corrupt country in the world. The other, well lets just say they are Indon.

  Nevertheless, there is already all kind of accusation that surfaced. If it is not tackled properly, or government decide to play to the opposition tune, the real losers going to be the navy - and by extension all of us Malaysian. We will end up with a crappy ship that is neither this nor that and still expensive.

  By the way, I heard a lot of people in the navy favored the higher end GOWIND.