SHAH ALAM: Work for the completion of OPV2 and OPV 3 are still planning in the stage. MMEA director-general Rear Admiral (Maritime) Rosli Abdullah said the agency has issued RFI to 12 shipyards to determine the way forward for the revival of the two incomplete vessels.
According to Rosli, OPV2 was 70 per cent complete while the more was needed on OPV3 as she is only 50 per cent complete. He said OPV 2 could be completed within 12 months as the new builder needs only to connect the two main blocks together.
Rosli declined to say how much money had been paid to THHE-Destini JV for the OPV project – including finishing KM Tun Fatimah. Asked whether the payment was like the ones paid to Boustead Naval Shipyard for the LCS, Rosli replied in the affirmative but stated that unlike the RMN ships, they (equipment on the OPV) are not too sophisticated and they will not be obsolote when we restart the project.
For the record, the contract for the three OPV is RM738.9 million. I am assuming that THHE-Destini JV was paid some RM400 million until the project stopped in 2021 based on the progress payments for the the steel and other of equipment of the OPVs. Another RM152.6 million loan was extended to THHE to complete KM Tun Fatimah in early 2023. This means some RM552 million has been made to THHE.
Asked how much more money was needed to complete the two OPVs, Rosli declined to say it. Asked whether it will be higher than the contract announced in 2017, he said “Of course it will be”.
It must be noted that Home Minister Shaifuddin Nasution in April, this year stated that they need some RM200 million to complete the two OPVs. I am assuming that the whole projec will cost some RM1 billion. It will also be ten years late.
As the OPV revival was not included in the 2025 budget (see above), it is likely the work on the two ships will start next year. The incomplete hulls of both ships and their equipment are likely still stored at the THHE Fabricators yard in Pulau Indah.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (60)
Will it be the case of new yard taking over the current and continue building in situ or will be shipping the modules & other parts to their own yard to complete?
If MMEA is ready to issue RFI does it mean we dodged the lengthy legal wrangling that delayed Gagahs for many years?
And now that we touching on thorny subject, anymore updates on continuing progress for LCS as well? Seems like all quiet again.
As I mentioned in a previous posting, I am not going to do any more stories on the LCS until it goes for harbour trials. At the moment, the ship is back on the hardstand before the planned harbour trials which is supposed to be next month.
I believe the only thing that is needed to be paid to complete the ships is basically the manpower to finish the build. All of the hardwares for the ships should be paid-for in full already.
I also believe this should be the case for the 6th Gowind. All the steel for the hull, all the equipments, hardwares, engines, electronics; even the guns and radars have been paid for and now stored somewhere.
We should have a good look on what is the cost to be added to complete the 6th gowind using RMK13 2026-2030 budget. It would be a win-win for both TLDM (getting additional ASW capable ship by 2030) and also LUNAS (additional contact and work to do up to 2030)
Cruise with one generator set running? Generator as the name implies is for power generation not for propulsion.
LCS progress is as per schedule so far.
I will wait for the next major milestone, which is the harbour trials scheduled by November. If it does not start by end of the month, then it will be a big problem.
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'' (getting additional ASW capable ship by 2030) ''
Yes but without a a ASW helicopter configured and with the range, endurance and lift capacity for the time consuming and resource extensive game that ASW is; the LCS will just be another ship with triple torp tubes which are mainly for self-defence. Sure it will have the means to detect contacts at long ranges and below the thermocline but it also needs a helo to track, fix and engage the contact.
As things stand it I'll be surprised if a contract is awarded before all 5 hulls are in service.
Malaysian shipyards cant build sophisticated ships. Every single project related to RMN or MMEA will have cost overuns and years of delay. They are just too incompetent. Just buy direct from overseas.
We can play the ASW game within our budget
6x Gowind Frigates to enable at least 2 always out at sea doing ASW patrols around GSP.
6x MH-60R from US Navy excess stocks. TLDM want to buy ASW helicopter in RMK13 2026-2030 anyway, and this is a way to get 6 current ASW helicopter for cheap
https://www.twz.com/26395/the-navy-has-dozens-more-mh-60r-helicopters-than-it-needs-due-to-lcs-debacle
ATR 72-MPA batch 2 for 4 more aircraft in RMK13 2026-2030. For a total of 6 MPAs. To do ASW with sonobuoy launchers and MAD.
2-3 LMS-X sailing together with the gowinds as loyal wingmans. To equip them with low cost towed array systems such as the SEA Kraitsense system (2 systems bought by indonesia for OPV90).
CAPTAS-2 + Kraitsense + AN/AQS-22 ALFS (MH-60R) + sonobuoys (ATR-72MPA) would detect unknown submarines by using multi-static sonar operations concept.
@ din
We can build complex ships. We have competent shipyards building many ships, even for export.
We need to
1) stop meddling with project scope, specifications & politicking (witchhunt for cost cutting) when it has already started (gowind)
2) give contract to bona-fide shipyards only (training ships, OPV)
Another method to engage subs is by using multirotor UAVs to drop torpedoes over the sub location.
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It not they are not competent technically but rather lack the time and monetary management
get progress payment, straight pay bonus and staff salary but not subcontractors. Then drag payment period
once subcon stop work, the whole progress delayed further. It like never ending pit