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NSM for KD Jebat and KD Lekiu

HMAS Sydney fires Royal Australian Navy’s first Naval Strike Missile during a SINKEX off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii as a part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Commonwealth Australia picture.

SHAH ALAM: In his new year message recently, Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin said RM12 billion has been allocated for the procurement of assets this year even though the budget document says otherwise.

Anyhow among the assets to be procured are 105mm howitzers (Army); surface to surface missiles for KD Jebat and three units of Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System (MALE UAS). Read about the 105mm missiles in the first story.

As part of her refit, KD Jebat main engines were taken off her for MRO work. Screenshot from LUNAS video.

As for the SSM, I wrote that:

For the SSMs, will it be the latest version of the MBDA Exocet, the Block 3C? Checks with sources have not been fruitful, though. If they bought the latest version of the Exocet, it can also be used on Jebat’s sister ship, KD Lekiu and also the Kasturi class corvettes, KD Kasturi and KD Lekir. The last time we bought new Exocets was when the Kasturi class corvettes underwent their Service Life Extension Programme in mid-2000s.Of course, they could cheapen out and just used the NSM already in storage in Lumut. The launchers are already with the Lumut Naval Shipyard as they were bought for the LCS. Funds are of course needed to integrate the NSM on the Jebat. It will be much cheaper -as it is already paid for and delivered – rather than buying a slew of brand new Exocets or Atmaca – for the sake of argument.

HMAS Sydney fires Royal Australian Navy’s first Naval Strike Missile during a SINKEX off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii as a part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. Commonwealth Australia picture.

Industry sources has now told Malaysian Defence that the SSMs meant for Jebat (pennant number 29 and KD Lekiu (pennant number 30) will be the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM). Work to fit the launchers and missiles (integration and likely test firing) on Jebat will start once her refit at Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) is completed. When of course is the big question. KD Kasturi went into a refit at Boustead Naval Shipyard and came out with Lunas.
KD Lekiu at Lunas shipyard for the emergency repair defect in January 2024. Lunas picture.

Interestingly, I was told that the NSMs meant for Jebat and Lekiu will be brand new. The numbers bought are unknown though I believed it could be around a dozen or so. Both ships have space for eight launchers each. It is likely that the launchers and missiles bought for the LCS programme would be used for Jebat if she came out of refit within the next one year or so. This is because the usual delivery time for NSM is around twenty-four months.
The SSM launchers on KD Lekiu. They can carry eight in total but usually only four launchers are carried currently. U.S. Navy courtesy photo.

As for Lekiu it is likely the missile installation and integration will only be done after Jebat. Perhaps the ship will also undergo a refit at Lunas once the work on Jebat is completed. Lekiu underwent an emergency repair defect at Lunas in February last year prior to taking part in Rimpac exercise, later in the year (June).
A shot of KD Jebat bridge by JS Sazanami on February 13, 2024. The Sea Eagle FCRO is evident here. Japan MOD picture.

It is likely the contract for the NSM will be made public at LIMA 2025.

— Malaysian Defence

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Tags AtmacaExocetKD JebatKD LekiuKongsbergLumut Naval ShipyardNSMRANRIMPAC 2024
Marhalim Abas: Shah Alam

View Comments (30)

  • Wasnt Jebat class were said to be at the last legs of their useful lifespan? Or was it the other Laksamana class?

    Since Jebat is using Vibrant and Lekiu is still on Nautis (I think?), doing the integration for both will be a nightmare, moreso with Jebat since its a 'local' designed CMS. Will Thales still provide support for the Nautis on Lekiu then?

    • Like both the Kasturi class, these ships need to soldier on until at least 2035. Edited to fix earlier mistake.

  • Need more info about the UAS male part

    Is it the same Anka UAS contract mindef announced donkey years ago and just playing the same old record?

    How about the UAS itself? 3 units? Does that means 3 units of the drone itself (hence only one system) or 3 systems of UAS (which means we're getting 9 units)

  • Those newly bought NSM should be used to backfill the ones already bought for the Gowinds, and those already stored for years in the warehouses to be used 1st.

    it will be a tricky integration as both Jebat and Lekiu have different CMS.

    Any integration costs should be spent minimally, and if involves a considerable amount of money, better put that money completing the 6th Gowind, and just convert Jebat and Lekiu into OPVs instead (by removing the CMS and missiles)

  • @ marhalim

    I am worried about your grasp of reality as you keep on saying 2015 for quite awhile now

    We are now living in the year 2025, not 2005...

    IMO if we get 6 Gowinds (pay the assembly of the 6th in RMK13) and 6 Turkiye Corvettes (sign for 3 more in RMK13) by 2030, TLDM could retire all 4 Kasturis and Lekius (remove all CMS and missiles, pass to APMM as OPV).

    Having 6 Gowinds and 6 Turkiye Corvettes in 2030 is more potent and powerful than anything we have right now in 2025, so its okay to retire all 4 Kasturis and Lekius by then.

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