SHAH ALAM: RMN’s first of class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) will be launched next week at Boustead Naval Shipyard in Lumut. The launch of the ship marks the countdown into service of the LCS in 2019.
The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah is expected to officiate the ceremony on Aug. 24 though in keeping with naval traditions, Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim is expected to launch the ship and named her as Maharaja Lela. She will be given the Kapal Diraja prefix when she is commission into service, hopefully in 2019.
RMN chief Admiral Kamarulzaman Badaruddin confirmed the launch ceremony and the name of the ship when met at the Defence Ministry today.
The navy which had surveyed the public to choose three themes – Warrior, Weapons and Valor – as the names for the LCS, had apparently chosen the Warrior, hence Maharaja Lela as the first of class. And keeping with naval tradition the first of class will take up the 2501 pennant number.
It is likely that RMN had chosen the pennant number in keeping with its stand that it is an LCS, a new class of warship and not a corvette or a frigate. The new ship will not looked like the Egyptian Gowind at its launch as the panaromic mast has been installed on the ship prior to the launch.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has become the second ASEAN country after Thailand to be elected to the State Partnership Program initiated by the U.S Defense Department. Malaysia signed the SPP with the Washington National Guard at a ceremony today (Aug. 16). officiated by Chief of Defence Force Jen Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor.
Raja Affandi says through the SPP, the Malaysian Armed Forces with the Washington National Guard will not only carry military cooperation activities – joint training exercises – but also social development activities.
As a first step, MAF and WANG have carried out a series of joint exercises through Exercise Bersama Warrior, from Aug. 6 to 18 in Mentakab, Pahang and Kluang, Johor. This cooperation will be further expanded in the future for the benefits of both parties.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (34)
Cool. Question, can the 57mm main gun shoot down incoming missile or the LCS only defence against anti ship missile is the VL Mica?
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It is supposed to be a CIWS as well but with the 3P rounds. However I have yet to be told that we have bought these rounds. The latest 57mm rounds we bought were all HE I believe
EeThey should have named it after our forefathers who have fought for independence and brought forth unity to our country in conjuction with our 60th Independence Day and that this would be the flagship of our navy for decades to come. Guess it will take centuries more so-to-speak before the like of Tun H.S Lee, Tun V.T Sambathan, Tun Fuad Stephen would be honoured with their name being put on a lead ship of the navy.
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I prefer they named them after PGB recipients
Meh,
There is always the possibility that the LCS in the future might be fitted with a jammer for use against the seeker head of an incoming ASM. Even if the jammer works however, the problem is that some missiles may have a "home on jam" feature. To date only a few Russian missiles are believed to have this feature.
When dealing with supersonic ASMs at close ranges, even if it's destroyed; fragments of the missile might still hit the ship and by virtue of the speed and kinetic energy; can cause damage to a ship.
For the 3p munitions to be used, the gun need to have the small radome on the top of the barrel. Let see if those are present on the kd maharaja lela. Afaik no prior malaysian bofors 57mm can be equipped with the 3p munitions.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/HMS_Härnösand_and_soldiers_cropped.jpg/300px-HMS_Härnösand_and_soldiers_cropped.jpg
http://www.baesystems.com/en/download-en/20151109145509/1434555676088.pdf
"It is supposed to be a CIWS as well but with the 3P rounds."
Are we hooking it up to a fire control radar with anti missile capability?
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No idea yet
It would be great if the lcs will have more of the NSM than only 8 pieces as i think the lcs ability to do damages to other surface vessels and ground targets is not enough.
I hv doubt abt lcs functionaliyy as even US now has abandoned lcs and revert back to old class. I m sure they learnt some big fall out with this class...some limited capabilities which they would not share yet.
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Despite the same name our LCS and the US Navy are completely different animals
Well done Boustead and TLDM. Clearly the management
this time are much much better than during the NGPV project.
Seems like great quality of workmanship as well for the first Gowind to be build outside France.
The timing is also perfect to launch KD Maharaja Lela in this kemerdekaan month of August.
Once again, syabas dan tahniah.
From the picture, cannot see the shaft and CP propeller. Why not installed if this is the launching?
itu ari rasanya laksmana ada ckp dkt twitter dia pasal 57mm punya 3p rounds kd jebat rasanya so kita memang dah ada la 3p rounds