SHAH ALAM: Foreign Minister DSU Mohamad Hasan on December 18 that the Japan’s Official Security Assistance (OSA) grant aid announced two days earlier are drones and fast interceptor boats. The aid will be used for surveillance and monitoring of its maritime borders off Sabah’s east coast, an area under the ESSCOM.
Mohamad however did not announced numbers nor the exact type of drones and interceptor boats to be gifted. As Japan is donating fast interceptor boats, I am guessing it will be the same ones it donated to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) several years back.
Japan donated 13 interceptor boats to PCG, each with the length of 12 metres and three 223kW outboard engines delivering a maximum speed of 50 knots (see picture). It is very similar to ones used by the MMEA, the Armed Forces and marine police, most of which are sourced from local builders.
Likely the outboard motors will be Yamaha, one already used in large numbers by the security services and civilians in Malaysia so spares and maintenance will not be an issue.
As I mentioned previously, Malaysia seemed reluctant to accept other better monitoring and surveillance equipment unlike our neighbours. Indonesia at the same Tokyo event signed a deal for a large patrol vessel for its coast guard.
Even a smaller patrol vessel like the 46 metre one built for JCG will be better for the surveillance and monitoring of our maritime borders. MMEA only got six 44 metre patrol boats. It is not like our shipyards are lining up to build 46 metre boats like the fast interceptor vessels.
Honestly, if we get less than 13 fast interceptor boats under the Japan’s OSA, it will be a joke. Why a joke, you may ask. A joke as we clearly do not want to be seen under the influence of the Japanese while at the same time killing our local defence industry by not buying their boats.
— Malaysian Defence.
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
For the new Perkasa-class RHFB, all of the boats are using SUZUKI outboards.
Why is malaysia reluctant to get more of say sisterships of KM Pekan when we are curently short of large OPVs?
FICs are something that we have the money to pay for and have the expertise to build them locally. Large OPVs take time, and to get them quickly is to have an operational one hot transferred to us.
It is likely the government is wary that the Japanese donated vessels will be in contact with China ships in the SCS. Even KM Arau based in Kota Kinabalu is seldom assigned patrols in the SCS.
We need to get as many OPVs as possible really. We can always assign them to areas where there is low chance of contact with the China Coast Guard. Off pantai timur for example.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_nBAO1bEAA8GbP.jpg
Supposedly based on Japanese press each of the OSA recipient countries get the same amount of money and its not really a huge amount of money to begin with. So I guess one can get either a lot of interceptors boats or a few patrol ships. Probably.
To be fair to the current gov, MY foreign policy position had always been to keep a low profile & not stand out needlessly while our security services is currently struggling with lack of economic of scale due to lack of commonality.
If CCP mouthpiece global times to be believed even being recipients of OSA & doing joint exercise with foreign military is bad enough. While GT do reports on US being a recipients of OSA & doing joint exercises they haven’t gone as far as to villainise us yet.
IMHO out foreign policy positions like that of SK is contradictory, we aren’t selling ourself as neutral but rather as a pro west but not anti Chinese.
For a development budget of USD500-800 million for each Rancangan Malaysia, we could get APMM :
RMK 12 2021-2025 (USD0.5 bil)
2 additional budget to complete 2x DAMEN OPV 1800 0.05
2 Ex JCG OPV 0.02 sisterships of KM Pekan
3 OSV AHT 70-80m used 0.04 As OPV/rescue/salvage/tow/firefighting
2 ex Ulsan transfer (to be retire 2035) 0.03
6 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 0.09
30 12.5m RHFB Perkasa 0.01
10 Penggalang FIC 0.02
30 various RHIB 0.01
3 AW139 0.055
total USD0.325 billion
RMK 13 2026-2030 (USD0.8 bil)
3 Hyundai Tae Pyung Yang 115m OPV 0.2
3 60m sail patrol vessel (based on Rainbow Warrior) 0.12
12 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 0.18
6 ex Kedah Class transfer refit 0.04
4 ex Keris Class transfer 0
15 25m PC 0.05
60 12.5m RHFB Perkasa 0.02
10 Penggalang FIC 0.02 FIC recapitalisation
30 8m RIB 0.006 RIB recapitalisation
4 Beech B260 MSA 0.07
1 CL-415EAF 0.035
3 AS365N3 used 0.01
3 AW139 used 0.02
Total USD0.771 billion
RMK 14 2031-2035 (USD0.8 bil)
3 Hyundai Tae Pyung Yang 115m OPV 0.2
3 60m sail patrol vessel (based on Rainbow Warrior) 0.12
12 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 0.18
30 25m PC 0.1
60 12.5m RHFB Perkasa 0.02
10 Penggalang FIC 0.02 FIC recapitalisation
30 8m RIB 0.006 RIB recapitalisation
6 Beech B260 MSA 0.1
Total USD0.746 billion
Below picture is the FCS 4008 Patrol built by DAMEN Antalya Turkiye for Romanian Border Guard. It would be a perfect ship for next batches of NGPCs.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FeE4gayXgAsGfFR.jpg
This ship has unreal specs
Length – 41.2m
Top speed – 30 knots
range at TOP SPEED (yes not a typo) – 2,800nm. Yes it can run around chasing others at 30 knots for 2,800nm
This is also the same platform for UK Royal Navy’s XV Patrick Blackett, a R&D ship for future naval warfare systems.
Compare to current bagan datuk NGPC specs
top speed – 24 knots
range – 2,000nm at 12 knots cruise speed.
The FCS 4008 Patrol design would be a good choice to replace all the ex PX, ex PZ, ex bahtera, ex Bay class ships of APMM. To have proper project management and to leverage the economy of scale, building of these FCS 4008 patrol locally could be slotted into PETRONAS Project Safina, which is a project to locally build 100 OSVs of different types for PETRONAS contractors in the next 5 years.
Why have OPVs in the first place if they are not send to the most imortant places?
@ marhalim
A ship is still a ship.
You can send all the non-japanese built OPVs to Sarawak/Sabah waters, and put those extra japanese OPVs off pantai timur or in the andaman sea/Malacca straits
Thats your dream fleet, as it is we dont have extra OPVs, and yet we play stupid games.
@ mahalim
“and yet we play stupid games”
Which is sad isn’t it…
Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia are signing bilateral increased defence pacts with USA, Japan, South Korea etc etc but we are shooting ourselves on the foot trying to please big brother…
Ps. That dream fleet is achievable within the usual allocated budget. It just need a political will from the government.
Might aswell bring back the Bunga Mas tributes from the days of Ancient Siam…honestly this policy of being neutral is ridiculous, its clear China is being belligerent and unless we are Sweden, we can’t afford to remain neutral anymore, what exactly is preventing the Govt from accepting more capable foreign aids? Does it have something to do with trading?
sigh~ we’re too nice to other people even if the other party is ready to intrude our airspace and sea anytime they feel like it. I understand of our neutral policy but looking at the current geopolitics situation, we can no longer only sit back and watch.
“clearly do not want to be seen under the influence of the Japanese”
No I dont think coz most likely from “Malaysia seemed reluctant to accept other better monitoring and surveillance equipment”, the impression we give is that we are certainly under the influence of China if allow their feelings to dictate what we can or cannot get donations.
To seek donations then only to accept bot pancung/leisure boat types is a slap on our faces as we arent lacking these boats nor ability to deliver them, we buy these all the time, even those orders during MCO gets delivered on time by various local yards. To me this kinda donation is pointless, we should look at what Japan has to augment our current naval capabilities or else just push all the donation budget for max drones. We need these more than simple fast boats.
@Zaft
“To be fair to the current gov”
To be fair to the current Govt the previous previous Govt had no qualms or worry to upset China when taking in KM Pekan & Arau. Is the current one under some influence perhaps?
I daresay our Honourable PMX is not using his longstanding friendship with the Japanese to the utmost. He merely squeaked, perhaps, and not requested in a high tone to the Japanese!
He should have asked, yes!, demanded the Japanese for better and bigger boats and not just mere FICs! Why in God’s name did he and his simpering ‘officials’ ask for just FICs boats and drones? Can’t we get better stuff from the Japanese? We built FICs ourselves for crying out loud 🔊🔊🔊?
Are we still pandering to the Chinese Coast Guard and Navy here? That the Chinese will be angered by the presence of ships that’s provided by the Japanese?
I am sick and tired of our politicians who time and again showed they couldn’t care 2 bits about ACTUAL DEFENCE of our country and waters. Shame on the government!
Of course
It was after the donations of KM Arau and KM Pekan, the investments flowed from China….
Our government is wholly inside of China’s pocket now.
Jason lo “we can’t afford to remain neutral anymore,”
IMHO We are not neutral per say. If we were we would behave more like Thailand is currently. Buying military equipment from both the west & PRCs.
“what exactly is preventing the Govt from accepting more capable foreign aids? Does it have something to do with trading?”
Basically we want the cake and eat it too.
As marhalim had said There’s an increase of Chinese FDI after the donations of KM arau to us by JP. But what we should’t missed is that there’s also an increase high value added FDI & security donations from the US to us after the inflow of Chinese FDI.
It’s Likely our foreign office wettest dream is to get some sorts of carrot & stick situations with both the Chinese & the US. If the Chinese decided to push harder on their claims & deteriorate our relationship further we move further to the west. On the other hand we wanted the US to also include economic relationships something they are reluctant to give on top of security partnerships.
Another factor might be to spread our eggs around as one the diplomat writer note, historically MY experience 2 episode of western abandonment, one when the RN retreat from east of suez and another when US retreats from south Vietnam. We just don’t think they unlike the aussie are that reliable as a long term partner.
“the investments flowed from China….”
We arent exactly seeing the flow of Chinese investments coming back either since XJP has tightened up on cash outflow from China. So whats the worry about upsetting them again? Will they barred their people visiting Msia? I dont think so. Many said Najib was the PM with most coziest ties with China and even then he has no qualms to take in Pekan & Arau, and PMX got no balls afraid thinking they might offend again?! We might as well send 100 virgins to China as tribute to placate their wrath.
“Another factor might be to spread our eggs around as one the diplomat writer note”
If we really want to spread our eggs around, we actually should take up more Japanese security material offer, not to decline it.
Maybe relevant, maybe not. The ship Indonesia getting is an ex-Japanese Fisheries ship. KM Pekan is an Ojika class JCG ship. There are 6 more active Ojika class ships with JCG, with the second oldest ship completed in 1994. Maybe MMEA is waiting for another Ojika class or prefers a JCG ship. Separately, Japan donated 4 long range acoustic devices to MMEA early 2023 through JICA. Or perhaps, MMEA is already earmarked to receive 2 ships next year?
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/one-ex-us-coast-guard-cutter-coming-next-year/
Hulubalang “we actually should take up more Japanese security material offer, not to decline it.”
According to Japanese media, every recipient country get the same amount of money.
We didn’t declined anything in fact we are among the first along with PH to agreed to accept the donations.
The ex-Japanese fisheries boat was gifted earlier this year. The ship they are getting at the same time we got our fast interceptor boats and drones is a brand new 90 metre boat.
That USD63m new ship is not under the OSA program or the JICA (the LRAD donation) but a separate bilateral program coninciding with trade agreements between Indonesia and Japan. I dont think Malaysia would have gotten a brand new USD63m ship without giving concessions. But I do hope JCG will retire another Ojika class and donate it to MMEA. Same ship with KM Pekan helps with crew training and maintenance. Any updates on MMEA’s announcement of receiving domated ships in 2024?
To be a Devils Advocate, perhaps MMEA did not ask for a ocean patrol ships because their already getting OPV1 and then the exUSCG boat soon, and in the coming years 2 more OPVs (I hope), so perhaps in hindsight they couldnt train enough crews to man them all.
@joe – “To be a Devils Advocate, perhaps MMEA did not ask for a ocean patrol ships because their already getting OPV1 – they’re, not their.
– Happy Natal to all readers and posters in this forum!
Yes your right, but if you can understand it then so can others, so whats the point again?