SHAH ALAM: Old is Gold. As the MMEA is set to get a new ship launch at any time, the RMN can look forward to the elixir of youth, turning an old ship into a new one. The ship is question is KD Perkasa, pennant number 3511. Perkasa is the second of the four strong Handalan class, bought from Sweden in 1976 and commissioned three years later.
According to RMN chief engineer, Rear Admiral Mohd Shaiful Adli Chung Abdullah, Perkasa is being fitted with a new hull under the Obsolescence Programme (OP), an initiative undertaken to allow the FAC fleet to continue in service for the next 15 years. Work on the Perkasa is being conducted at the Geliga Slipway in Kemaman, Terengganu. The initiative was undertaken to mitigate the impact of the delays with the LCS programme, he wrote in a posting in the RMN official Facebook page .
The OP is the culmination of the FAC fleet upgrade programme as it combined the two other aspects of the initiative – repowering (changing the powerpack, propellors and generators and the fitting of a mini Combat management system.
Mohd Shaiful stated that the repowering programe is on going with three FACs being fitted with the new power packs. The first ship to undergo the programme is KD Baung.
And it appears that the Perkasa and the other FACs that had undergone the SLEP programme, will have to wait for another year to be fitted with the new mini-CMS as it had been postponed to 2022 according to Mohd Shaiful. He did not say why though. It is likely this was due to budgetary reasons even though the military got RM2.3 billion for main asset maintenance (for spare sparts and services) under the 2021 budget.
This is the reason the RMN decided to upgrade the FAC fleet; funding for maintenance under the Operational Expenditure (OE) are always available, though it fluctuates every year. Getting completely new ships will need to come from the Development Expenditure (DE) which is hard to come by with the elephant in the room (LCS) in the way.
Industry sources told me that it was unclear how many FACs will be getting new hulls like the Perkasa. I was told that it depends on the survey of the hulls themselves. It is interesting to note that the Perkasa and the other three Handalan class FACs are the youngest hulls among the 14 strong FAC fleet. Both the Jerong and Perdana class are older by some ten years. Baung which was the first to undergo the repowering programme was commissioned in 1977.
It must be noted under the SLEP – apart from the hulls (unclear how many for now), power packs and mini-CMS, the FACs will retained their main guns, the Bofors Mk 1 and 2s though I am not sure whether their B guns, the Bofors 40mm L70s will be retained.
All of the navigation radars and electro optical turrets, upgraded within the last five years will be retained. Other items which are salvagable, according to Mohd Shaiful will also be retained
Anyhow, Mohd Shaiful also wrote that RMN is getting six Maritime Operations Helicopters in his posting. I checked and it appears that he is wrong, they are only getting three MOH. And yes it is the Leonardo AW139. The contract is expected to be signed soon.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (24)
Who knows.Maybe he is right and the navy is actuallygetting 6 new helicopters
Year 2030...we can brag that we have an operational Cold War-era warship. (in jest).
One of the options looked at years ago when the Lakamanas became a big problem; was new hulls. It was decided that it wasn't economically worthwhile in the long run.
new hulls??
probably total replating of the hull plus repairs to the internal structure.
Or they are really building a new ship but using the excuse of "OP" to use the busget from OE.
Actually I would love to see KD Hang Tuah to be put through something like the OP. It is a significantly important ship for our country to be kept alive and operational, even as an OPV.
Anyway if this is good enough for TLDM, why not refit/reconditioned as new Condors to replace PDRM Sankey and V150s? Condors are have the same drivetrain as Unimogs, which is still built and used (a new batch has been bought also) for PGA and also the same drivetrain as Barracudas.
PDRM PGA currently has 5 skuadron kereta perisai, seems like sabah will have a battalion of kereta perisai with the numbers they are floating about. Around 100 Condors would easily recapitalise all the PGA fleet
http://skuad69pdrm.com.my/wp-content/gallery/perbarisan-sambutan-hari-kemerdekaan-yang-ke-59-tahun-pada-31-ogos-2016-dataran-merdeka-kuala-lumpur-yang-dibarisi-oleh-persatuan-skuad-69-pdrm/3.JPG
Maybe three for general purpose and three with anti submarine/ strike capabities.
Back to the Handalans.
So what is the current plans for the TLDM fleet?
Doing OP with new hulls to all of the handalans means that those ships are as good as new. Surely will be good for 30-40 years with normal refit cycles. The jerong and perdana should be good for 15 more years.
Another thing.
If we can build new Handalan hulls, it means that we could actually build more of the Handalan class ingeniously.
Also we can add newfound hydrodynamic research to improve the efficiency of the hull form, like this stern hydrofoil.
http://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/11/dutch-navy-to-test-hull-vane-hydrofoil-on-hnlms-zeeland-opv/
http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/mv-themis-hull-vane-retrofit-improves-opvs-performance/
Also why is this vice-admiral not already a datuk? what he has done on the sustainment of these old ships with the limited available resources should be applauded and appreciated by the nation.
Reply
He is a Datuk, but I have stopped using titles for military people already, for some time now. Their rank is good enough. For politicians, I am abbreviating their titles. Same professional titles as well unless they are medical doctors
"being fitted with a new hull"
As in building a new ship and porting all the equipment over? Why not make more of them for both TLDM & MMEA?
off topic
On the old PDRM Sankeys, Shorland and V150s.
Sultan of Johore is a known collector of automotive vehicles. When those Sankeys, shorland and V150 is retired, surely he would be delighted if those can be used for his JMF force.
http://www.mstar.com.my/lokal/semasa/2016/05/09/jentera-bomba-sultan-johor
http://www.themalayapost.my/sultan-johor-terima-jentera-klasik-bomba-berusia-32-tahun/
I would love to see the Sankeys fully restored and in painted JMF livery.
... - “If we can build new Handalan hulls, it means that we could actually build more of the Handalan class ingeniously”
Well we’ve built Jerongs which are a Lurssen design.
The FACs are only operated because no replacements are available. The RMN has long decided it wasn’t any more FAC sized vessels in account on inherent limitations of ships this size. At minimum it sees the need for something like the LMS and training ships; with regards to displacement - why the 5/15 has no place for FACs.
Unlike the FACs; they can put to sea during monsoon and high sea states; have better range and endurance and the sensors are not affected by the low freeboard and vibration (a common issue with FACs). Note that like the Vosper PCs (prior to delivery stabilisers were added but seakeeping remained a major issue); we use FACs (2 of the classes have stabilisers)for ops they were not designed or suited for; extended patrols in the EEZ; rather than patrols of short duration in a calmer littoral environment.
... - “Sankeys, shorland and V150 is retired, surely he would be delighted if those can be used for his JMF force”
The JMD is tasked with protecting the royal family and their residences and varied state buildings. They operate in a urban setting against low level type threats and have various 4x4 and other vehicles suited for the role. Even if nobody in the government or army objected to the JMF having armoured vehicles; I can’t really see why they would want ex police armoured vehicles.