SHAH ALAM: The keel laying ceremony for the third Littoral Combat Ship is scheduled on December 18 at the BNS dockyard in Lumut. Malaysian Defence has reported that the ceremony will be held around this time in the posting regarding the launch of the first LCS, Maharaja Lela in August.
The LCS major equipment detailed. RMN graphic
As the ceremony is for the third LCS, BNS is expected to start working on the other three ships in the near future. For more on the LCS, check out Malaysian Defence archives for such stories. That said some of the earlier stories were lost following the server failure two years ago.
Part of the LCS3 keel seen in a hangar at BNS.
Anyhow in the earlier story I mentioned that parts of the third LCS were already being worked on at BNS facility during the launch of the Maharaja Lela.
LCS naming survey.
As for the names of the LCS, based on the above, the second one will be called Shariff Mashor, the third Raja Mahadi, Mat Salleh (fourth), Tok Janggut (fifth) and the sixth Mat Kilau. Some people might disagree naming the ships after persons but I guessed this was taken consideration when they decided on the names. That said Maharaja Lela was actually a title given by the Sultan of Perak in the past to his warlords as a norm deguerre for a judge, jury and executioner. Indeed an apt name for a warship.
Part of LCS 2 module seen in another hangar at BNS
As I am planning to go to Lumut for the ceremony on Monday, perhaps I will get some updates on the LCS in particular and the RMN in general. I am not saying I will get something but I will try.
BNS workers posed for pictures with Maharaja Lela at her launch in August, 2017 The workers are under strict order not to share the pictures of the ship during the construction.
Those who want to see the LCS and the BNS facility at Lumut, can do so by taking the regular ferry service from Lumut to Pulau Pangkor. Choose the ferry with the open rear deck and you will be richly rewarded. You will also get to see the RMN Western Fleet headquarters and the ships docked there.
The new hangars (far right) and gantry crane at BNS added specifically for the LCS program.
Be advised though that Maharaja Lela and the LCS 2 are usually placed under the huge hangars at BNS as the workers continue to finish them as such you might not be able to see them. That said the ships are moved in and out from the hangars periodically for other work to be done so you have just have to count on your lucky stars to spot them, if you do take a ferry down to Pangkor Island.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (27)
On the navy
- are they willing to share the plans for lekiusnd kasturis after the SGPVs are operational?
- future of laksamanas after decomission. Sold? Give back to Iraq?
- updates on plans for KD Hang Tuah. Did they look at HTMS Pin Klao during the Pattaya ASEAN Fleet Review recently?
- updates on LMS
Some infos on the gowinds
- confirmed for the SGPV is the hull sonar would be the kingklip mk1. This is the same sonar as on indonesian SIGMAs.
- UAE gowinds to be fitted with ESSM instead of VL MICA.
used to work at pangkor and the view of RMN base is good.on one time get to see submarine .
glad to see LCS program in good condition. wish to see the KD Maharaja Lela on sea soon.
on the 18,hopefully we can get news on LMS soon.
There should be a continuation of this program past the 6 and it should be announced within this one year in order to make the necessary preparation. Ideally, it should be a minimum 4 new orders in order to ensure economies of scale and continuation of the cost structure. The 4 should be in service circa 2023 to 2025 and should be paid off partially by the Kasturi's class retirement plus maybe the laksamana. Hope fully it will be an enlarged version of the LCS with an Anti Air Warfare role using Aster 30 or Aster 15
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The navy already said it wants 6 more, so that should be the minimum number ordered. I personally prefer that they increase the order to another 12 with six more of the bigger AAW version ordered. We should just skip ordering a new batch of Kedah class
12 more?? That is a cool 4.8 billion dollars...
IMO it would be good to have at least 4 more as 1 to 1 replacement of the kasturi and lekiu. These to be a general purpose frigate without towed sonar but with ESSM (as planned for UAE Gowinds) and 76mm gun (stealth cupola as UAE Falaj 2 corvettes). The kedah batch 2 to go for only 6 more ships, with the current 6 to be upgraded and retained to 2050++. The kasturis can be offered to friendly countries, maybe to bangladesh or colombia (which has 2 sister ships to the kasturis). The Lekius could also be offered for sale after the 1st 6 SGPV is operational to consolidate the fleet types, it would be a great quick addition to a navy with british naval ship experience (oman, bahrain, chile maybe?)
So 4 more SGPV Gowind @ usd1.5 billion, plus 6 more Kedah batch2 @ usd1 billion. Just usd2.5 billion.
Giving 2030 fleet of
10 SGPV Gowind
12 NGPV Meko
3 SSK Scorpene (+1 more)
4 MRSS (2 LPD + 2 Multi role replenishment version)
LMS68 + LMS-B as per my prior guest posts.
Btw the laksamanas slep cancellation and decommisioning is partially paying for the LMS.
I think we'd have to actually pay for anyone to accept the Laksamanas; given the state they're in. Their only value is as scrap metal : the hull is worn out, generators and engines worn out and the bulk of the 1980's/90's systems on board are no longer supportable.
The plan is to retire Hang Tuah as soon as the 2 training ships are fully operational.
By right, future LCS will offer improvements but will be based on a common design, i.e. the Gowind. That was what was planned with the Kedahs but we all know what happened with that. If indeed there is serious intent - on the government's part - to have follow on LCS, as Marhalim pointed out, why do we need follow on Kedahs? The only reason would be lower spec, cheaper - compared to the LCS - Kedahs.
kamal - ''Hope fully it will be an enlarged version of the LCS with an Anti Air Warfare role using Aster 30 or Aster 15''
Which would entail a longer range radar compared to SMART S and a higher level of connectivity with other assets.
@ Azlan
Laksamana's?
Ecuador is the best bet (their Astinave shipyard is now upgrading their 3 esmeraldas similar to the laksamanas)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CNwjsO2UAAEQA9_.jpg
https://farm4.static.flickr.com/3847/14236609457_4ceded7b72_b.jpg
Or return them for free to iraq.
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I don't think it's a good idea to burden Iraq with the Laksamanas, the country is as bad it is without our help
Things look like heading north for the navy....
Ok probably returning them to iraq is a bad idea...
BTW on the Kedah Batch II
Probably we can revisit this discussion. Now with hindsight, with the LMS is a chinese based ship, my idea for a Kedah class equipped with chinese equipment is not so far fetched.
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/4626-2/
If we can get a new kedah class for around usd160 million per ship, then it would be feasible.
Btw look at the performance of the Fl-3000N missile. It shot down a YJ-8 (c-802) anti ship missile successfully.
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/another-perspective-lms-2/#comment-292115
....,
We have been through this subject a number of times : the Laksamanas are in bad shape and have been for quite a while. Not only are there issues with the hull but various other systems are no longer supportable. The joke within the RMN was that the class was FAC - GPMG; in reference to the fact that the 76mms could not be fired due to inoperable fire directors; not to mention similar issues with the CMS, radar, generator, etc, etc. Crews had little confidence in the 76mm/RTN-10X combo and even designating targets for Aspide was problematic [to understate things].
I won't comment about Ecuador's ships or their upgrades but ours were a problem from the very start - things never performed as advertised and the class was just not suited for our requirements; which is why the RMN recommended against buying it; in short the RMN and taxpayer got screwed. I mentioned this ages ago when you were talking about upgrading the class - an upgrade was indeed looked at by the RMN but it was decided that a full upgrade would be a waste [a case of pouring good money after bad] and that the cash could be better used elsewhere. Why would Iraq [or anyone else for that matter] want such aged, worn out and maintenance intensive ships fitted mostly with 1980's vintage systems?
On the future Kedahs, it depends on how we fit them out. If we fit them out similarly to the 1st batch then obviously there will be integration issues with COSYS, TRS-3D and Rohde & Schwarz comms suite and the Chinese gear. Having a first batch with German stuff and having a 2nd batch with different, incompatible systems would be a bad and silly idea.
Before we even go into what to fit them out with, perhaps we should first speculate what roles they're intended to perform, between the LCS and the LMS. On paper they will be ''higher spec'' than the LMS but ''lower spec'' than the LCS but what roles do they play and would the RMN be better off having a follow on LCS batch [assuming there are funds] instead? If we have follow on Kedahs but are unable to fully fit them out due to funding then we're better off going for additional LMS. Also, will the 2nd batch be a mirror image of the 1st or will there be improvements in the design, internal systems, etc.