KUALA LUMPUR: As mentioned in the comments section of the Aspide Firing Success, Malaysian Defence present the picture of two Laksamanas undergoing maintainance work at the Naval Dockyard in 2004.

I cannot recall the names of the two ships in the picture. Furthermore their pennant numbers had also been removed. The removal of the pennant numbers led to me to ask my guide, a Dockyard bigwig (now removed) for an answer. He answered that both ships pennant numbers were removed as both were being handed over to the MMEA after the work was completed.

We now know that it did not happened but it appears in 2004 that the navy was confident enough that it was getting the Kedah-class ships that it was ready to shed its older ships as a matter of fact. In the end only the surviving original Kedah-class ships were transferred to the MMEA.

Note that the Otomat missile launchers on both ships had been removed while the Aspide launcher on the nearest ship looks intact although it appears that the missiles have been removed. On closer inspection on the same ship, it appears that the gun barrel on the aft 40mm have been removed although the turret remained in place.

On the other ship, it also appears that the 76mm gun has also been removed. Also removed from both ships were their small boats and radar antennas.

I do not what know what happened to the gun barrels as when I was visited the gun repair section of the yard, I do not see them. Perhaps they were sent to Oto Breda for repairs.

— Malaysian Defence