SHAH ALAM: The new RMN 15-to-5 plan, the Realignment, it appears, is now official. The launch of the new plan was supposed to take place at DSA 2024, but it was scrubbed. RMN did not say why the launch was scrubbed but I was told that the document was not ready for publication though graphics of the plan were put up as displays at the RMN booth at DSA 2024.
On July 30, Utusan Malaysia published an article on the new plan complete with an endorsement from Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin.
On July 31, the book on the new plan was unveiled by outgoing RMN Chief TS Abdul Rahman Ayob at the Lumut naval base. The release by RMN:
Panglima Tentera Laut, Laksamana Tan Sri Abdul Rahman bin Ayob telah melancarkan buku mewah RMN 90 Years-Protecting Malaysian Sovereignty pada 30 Jul 24 di Auditorium M. Sidek Shahbudin, KD PELANDOK.
Buku ini mencoretkan detik-detik bersejarah pergorbanan TLDM dalam mempertahankan kedaulatan maritim negara sepanjang 9 dekad lalu. Turut dirasmikan dalam majlis ini adalah buku RMN #15to5 Transformation Realignment (Platform), buku Pelan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan TLDM dan buku Modul Pengukuhan Kerohanian Ibnu Battuta.
The graphics on the new plan put up by Utusan Malaysia differs slightly from the one displayed at DSA 2024 (below).
For example, the RMN plan is now for sixty-one ships instead of fifty-seven as shown at DSA. The number of combat and support ships remained the same though with the extra three vessels being the training ships – sailing-ship, KLD Tunas Samudera, KD Gagah Samudera and KD Teguh Samudera (see below).
The new plan also entailed new procurement plans for the RMN from 2021 until 2040 with 31 platforms or ships procured. The ships are seven LCS, nine corvettes, four LMS, three MRSS, four mine counter measure vessels, two submarines and two hydrographic vessels. The corvettes, however, are conspicuously missing from the funding projection plan. It is likely some of the LMS Batch 3 and 4 will be corvettes though.
For the period of 2021-2025, five LCS, 4 LMS Batch 1 and three LMS Batch 2 have been procured though only the Batch 1 ships have been delivered. Other equipment described as force multipliers, three maritime operations helicopters and 19 FICs were procured with 18 UAS donated.
For the 2026-2030, two MRSS and two LMS Batch 3 will be procured while the force multipliers are four anti-submarine helicopters and six unmanned aerial vehicles. Does the change of designation to LMS Batch 3 and UAVs means different things to be procured? Your guesses are as good as mine.
In 2031-2035, two submarines, four mine-countermeasures ships and a single hydrographic vessel will be procured together with unmanned submersibles as force multipliers. The unmanned submersibles may well be for the mine hunting and hydrographic work.
Two LCS, 3 LMS Batch 4 and a single MRSS and hydro ship each will be bought from 2036 t0 2041.
As the plan has nine LCS in total, I am guessing two more will be procured within the next ten years if the five current ones are delivered as planned. That said they could always buy another design and called it LCS as well just like what they did with the LMS.
With the funding plan for the corvettes and other ships missing, one wonders whether RMN will get the number of ships it wanted in 2040.
–Malaysian Defence
View Comments (60)
If this is not a military build up, I don’t know what else is….
the MY way...
>7 LCS
can we get a more contemporary design that is actually a frigate design instead of an oversized corvette? There's plenty of newer designs out there. Hell we can even ask for our iron brother turkiye to build Istanbul class for us
I thought ADA class is the corvette while the LMS will be a smaller ships
dundun, I totally understand your frustration. I have always wondered why Boustead chose the Gowind-class which was not fit for purpose and then attempted to supersize it when the low risk La Fayette design was available all along from the very same shipyard. I understand that there was a tilt towards all things French back then, but they should have just gone with the La Fayette even if that was the case.
@Subangwatcher
No need to copy our rich neighbour, there is still the FREMM design.
dundun -
'Hell we can even ask for our iron brother turkiye to build Istanbul class for us'
In what way are the Turks 'our brother'?
Sifting through all the bull$hit
The only real plan is this https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GPFU2JyaAAAsAlF.jpg , as I have said all along.
the 61 ship mentioned is also bull$hit as the plan now does not have 12 LCS, 18 PV/Corvette or 18 LMS.
Also no plans at all to complete the 6th Gowind, which is what should be done to recoup all the investment in the gowind platform.
Now the navy will be a big rojak, with new turkish corvettes that cannot even defend themselves from near future advanced anti-ship missiles. This is when currently now our neighbours are getting large frigates and doubling down on more submarines. By 2040 TLDM will be among the weakest navies in South East Asia, even weaker than the Philippines Navy.
PS. KLD Tunas Samudera sistership, the STS Young Endeavour of the Royal Australian navy will be retired and replaced with a new ship by the end of this year or early next year. We can ask them nicely to pass it to TLDM, so we can have 2 sail training ships.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GNvTMshXoAAdLtz.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM1b51kUAAAokIQ.jpg
Also I think it would be better if LMSB1 is relegated into PV alongside NGPV and assume our LMSB2 as the B1 that shouldve been and that we should instead get at least another 3 for the next batch
@ dundun
The best way forward is to pass all of the Kedah class and Keris class to APMM and call it a day
Those Turkish "corvettes" are actually more like a fully armed Kedah Class actually. They are not actually based on the ADA-class corvettes but on the OPV - TCG Hisar ship design.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0gsYJ6WwAESW52.jpg
I assume the LMS in the "new plan" is a laksamana/keris class size FAC. But despite in the "plan" they ain't gonna be buying any for the next 20 years
Also the plan evolved from 15 to 5 to 15 to 5+ at least 3.