SHAH ALAM: Motherships for the Marine police. A tender for two 60 meter motherships for the Marine police are expected to be announced soon, its commander Deputy Commissioner Mohd Yusoff Mamat said on July 7.
The motherships will be tasked to support patrol boats in Malaysian waters, he added. The motherships, he added were among the patrol vessels being purchased for the marine police with funds from RMK11 and RMK12. It must be noted that the MMEA is also looking to procure at least two motherships during the same time period though they have seeking to buy them since 2017.
According to Mohd Yusoff, the marine police has 190 vessels of various types currently to cover the 2,000km of maritime areas. Ninety of these vessels are based in Sabah, 20 in Sarawak and 80 in the peninsula.
One of the four PLC class, landing craft operated by the Marine police.
One of the vessels being bought under the RMK12 Rolling Plan 1 is 10 Rigid hull assault boat (RHAB) which RFB was issued on June 16 and closes on July 21. From the specifications I believed that they are looking for an enlarged version of the US Coast Guard Defender patrol boats.
A US Coast Guard Defender class patrol boat. US Coast Guard.
According to the specifications the RHAB must be fitted with a full cabin for two crew and six passengers and a top speed of 45 knots with three outboard engines. The boat must be about 12.5 meters to 13.5 meters with a beam of three meters to 3.5 meters. It must have a minimum range 220 nautical mile at a speed of 30 knots.
An 11.5 metre full cabin FC-38 boat offered by Safe Boats International which used to build the Defender class patrol boat for the US Coast Guard. Safe Boats
The windows must be a(r)mour toughened safety glass and direct glazing. The RHAB shall be protected with robust and rugged fenders system around the boat. Like other similar rigid hull boats, the fenders are bullet proof for up to 7.62mm rounds.
A LomoOcean Full Cabin RHIB. LomoOcean.
What interesting part of the specifications is the armaments section:
The boat shall be equipped with One (1) gun mountings with pivot for swivel multi-direction to mount One (1) FN Herstal General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) 7.62MM Light Pintle Head External Pintle Mounted on Forward Deck. The 7.62mm machine Gun to be supplied by the Shipyard. The gun mounting shall be fitted with bullet proof armor shield no less than NIJ level III fitted.
I believed many shipyards will not be able to supply the GPMG for the testing though as not many will have the license to buy machineguns.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (25)
This is unrelated to the article but I eould like to know the latest regarding the F18 upgrade
It is being done locally incrementally, I am told, not sure of the extent but it is likely mostly to ensure that the fleet is serviceable. Due to Covid they cannot be sent to Australia, as planned.
Not an expert or anything but don't you think having Marine Police and MMEA is redundancy? Having coast guard patrolling the coast while police on the land makes more sense and probably save more money by concentrate each department their own jurisdiction. What does this two do differently to one another?
Its the fault of the government really. Even when Tun M was the PM, he was the one who set up the MMEA, he cannot turn both agencies into one. Why do you think the present one can do it?
Mothership.....instead of every agencies having their own mothership...marin polis have...TLDM have...MMEA have..why not this mothership " thing " is contracted out to one entity...partially men by TLDM ....afterall these mothership functions are all the same.. replenish supplies...ammo..food...water...fuel...and act as medivac if needed..
Anyway not every agencies will want to call upon the mothership all at one time.
I think with this method every agencies can save millions to buy other necessary equipments that tje men is lacking.........war is not fought in one directions n one method only...
It was posted in one facebook post that the RMAF has contracted with RUAG to perform the work in Malaysia instead
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Yes I have been told that as well but the scope of it remained unclear whether include the upgrade that was planned earlier or simply a depot level maintenance one without any upgrade
The mention of “armoured” glass on the bridgehouse is good. At least it provides some level of protection against small arms fire.
Nothing can be done but this duplication of effort is a waste. All those assets operated by the Marine Police would be better off in the MMEA. 190 assets; even if some are old and ready for retirement; is a lot of assets.
I also can’t help thinking that sone of those assets; especially the shallow drafts ones suited for littoral ops; would be better off in the RMN but that’s me going off tangent here.
@RedSot
If all the marine branches were to share the same sea base, there could be a security risk, as while MMEA is a civvie outfit reporting to Govt, the TLDM is full on military so security levels between both entities are not the same, lowering security to service MMEA or PDRM vessels & crews might pose a risk to TLDM. Vice versa if such ships are deemed a military target due to TLDM involvement, MMEA & PDRM crews inside would be at a greater risk of collateral.
One way might be subcontract such support role to a civvie outfit that will only refuel, replenish foodstuff, and R&R, similar operation to US Omega tanker teams refuels USAF, USN, USMC, etc, planes.
To put things in perspective; “jointness” is still a major issue in the MAF. Each service has a different way of doing things and each is competing for funding ...
Even in Tier 1 militaries which got into the game much earlier; inter service rivalry, safeguarding ones turf and parochialism is still a major issue....
As for a non MAF organisation; if the very services (all MAF) are still having “jointness” issues amongst themselves; what can we realistically expect with a non MAF outfit like the police or MMEA? To really achieve “jointness” the will must flow from top to bottom; there must be a genuine and concentrated will and desire.
A lot of the “jointness” we do is fit necessity and windrow dressing.
Marine PDRM to have a mothership? what a waste of tax payers money.
If i remember correctly there were a bunch of posts about this many years ago. Had to do with absorption of police personnel into the MMEA and issues such as possible loss of seniority.
I don't think the PDRM would ever willngly let go of their marine police, they like being the big boys when it comes to security. I
The Police does not have any power to enforce malaysian law outside of 12 nautical mile / 22km territorial waters.
That is where MMEA comes in. Where it can enforce malaysian economic exclusivity in our EEZ ensuring only approved fishing, mineral exploitation, and also control the safety and security aspects of the EEZ.