Repost
SHAH ALAM: AS the RMN is set to celebrate its 81st anniversary on April 27, it appears that the service is in a full blown upgrade mode.
At a conference in Singapore earlier in the week, a staff officer gave the full details on the proposed SLEP of the Laksamana class – which envisioned replacing everything apart from the hulls and the associated machineries and upgrade path for the Kedah class – four to be fitted for ASW while two for surface warfare.
At the same time, the staff officer also revealed the service procurement plans, three MRSS, four light frigates, six ASW helicopters, a single hydro-graphic ship and six gun-armed FACs.
Interestingly for the briefing slide of the procurement plans, images of a Mistral class ship (a LHD), a Holland class OPV and an AW159 Wildcat were used.
Perhaps the images were used as reference only but one may infer RMN’s preference on the matter. I understand the choice of the images of the LHD (as the original MRSS concept call for it) and the Wildcat, but a completely new light frigate design?
Before we all go ga-ga, one must consider that the above are RMN’s plans only as the government has yet to finalise the funding.
Apart from Laksamana and Kedah classes, RMN is also proposing the Lekiu class SLEP and not to forget the refit of the two Perdana Menteri class submarines. Apart from these major programmes, other RMN ships will also have to undergo periodic refits during the next five years.
To me it is unlikely all of the above will be funded within RMK11. With the RMN set to spend around RM1 billion a year for the next eight years (at least) to fund the construction of the LCS, I doubt there will be extra funds to cover all of the planned upgrades.
Based on what had happened to the Army during the last few years with the production of the AV8, RMN will not have its cakes and able to eat it too.
To me, the refit of the submarines looked safe but the rest of the upgrades looked pretty shaky to say the least with the Laksamanas looking the most vulnerable.
If it was up to me, I will ditch the plans to upgrade the Lekiu and Laksamana classes. I will instead order six more LCS and 15 more 75 or 85 metre FACs or corvettes. I know it will be cheaper to upgrade the Lekiu and Laksamanas but to what end? At least the new built hulls could last up to 2050 while we need to start looking for replacements the two classes by 2025.
Anyhow if the funds are not available to upgrade the Lekiu and Laksamanas within the next five years, the government will have to fund their replacements starting from 2020.
The Kedah class are relatively new though. They will be able to continue with their duties even without the upgrades though their usefulness will diminish the longer the upgrades are delayed.
As for the procurement plans, I believed the ASW helicopters and hydrographic ship are a shoe-in for RMK11 while the light frigates looked unreachable unless they turned it into another order for the LCS.
What about the MRSS and FACs then? I believe it will be funded not due to RMN’s requirements but mainly for political reasons.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (29)
Well. The MRSS if procured woyld satisfy a real need. This is because our logistic crafts are old n in need of repkacement. Its about time too for them to be replaced. Imagine the utility in logistics between the peninsular n borneo. Further more it can move a brigade of men at one go. So wuick reinforcement. If we procure the medium heli to go eith it , these ships will pack a punch. With china on the rise n the security situation in the Philippines, there is an urgent need for the MRSS. Also the fast patrol crafts ate required urgently too for straits eork, sulu sea n inshore protection
My assumption
The mrss and fac(g) would be Chinese in design and manufacture.
The light frigate could be Korean, Chinese or Dutch design. FYI the Holland class is more of a long range, long endurance patrol ship/cutter than a fighting frigate.
6 more lcs? Really? The price of the 6 ship lcs programme could comfortably fund all the ships/sleps/refit/upgrades in the latest navy wishlist with millions to spare…
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Ok, lets upgrade all of the ships then.
TLDM brass for the past 2 years are “quite vocal” in their requirement and future asset plans. They made known types of gears they need.
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They have been like that behind closed doors all this while…
– The ideal situation would be for the Lekiu SLEP to proceed as not only do the pair still have a lot of years left but until the entry into service of the LCS, they will be the service’s principal assets.
– On paper the upgrade plan for the Kedah is sound but will not be cheap. Upgrading COSYS and other stuff won’t cost an arm and leg but stuff like putting them into dry dock to install a bow sonar – to replace the obstacle avoidance sonar – will involve cutting the hull and will take time and money. If the RMN is really serious about converting 4 into ASW ships, what will really make the difference will be having organic helos with a dipping sonar. No 2 ways about it.
– The Laksamanas. Given the age of the ships and the amount of systems that have to be replaced; subjecting then to a full SLEP will be silly as the cash could be better spent elsewhere. The original plan was to rectify hull issues, fit a low cost FCS, new directors and used them for patrol duties armed only with a main gun and GPMGs.
– The helos. The S-70, for which the RMN has reportedly shown interest in, has better range and endurance compared to the Wildcat but might not fit in the hangars of the Lekiu and Kedah class. From a commonality viewpoint, the WildCat would be perfect but as an ASW configured helo, the availability of adequate power supply and cabin space is an issue.
Lee,
The Indera Sakti class are not in urgent need of replacement and still have at least a decade left in service. The problem is there’s only 2 of them and they no longer meet our current requirements.
If the MRSS and the FAC (G) are funded outside of the RMK plan and not canablising RMN’s allocated funds, all the better.
RMN is probably being prudent to ask for funds for the Lekiu SLEP now than later. In any case, the Seawolfs would be EOL in the near future. Being the principal surface combatants of RMN until the LCS is commissioned, there is value, especially in the event that the LCS is delayed.
Thanks for the reply..so from what i understand..the DSME corvettes is the FAC that is stated in the procurement plan?I though the DSME corvettes is already given the go ahead? The corvettes is stated in SIPRI 2014.
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SIPRI has always jump the gun on Malaysia procurement. That said I also stated that the project was bound to happen and I stand by it. No, the FAC in the procurement is a FAC equipped guns only, the DSME entry is full blown corvette, although it could be easily downgraded to a FAC (G) using the Fitted for But Not Paid For concept.
I don’t believe this will happen. The upgrade will be complete after the LCS enters service. RMN won’t be getting ASW hulls any sooner.
Secondly, we have a patrol hull crunch. As Azlan said, installing a bow sonar will take time in dry dock. Similarly, upgrading the Laksamana corvettes will also deprive us of patrol hulls temporarily.
Btw, if the Laksamanas are said to be in poor condition, then it begs the question of whether the RMN killed it by starving it of maintenance funds, the same way the USAF did with the A-10. And whether the suppliers of new hulls had any influence in the decision, the same way people wish the F-35 to replace the A-10.
Lee – ” Imagine the utility in logistics between the peninsular n borneo.”
Very true but lets keep in mind that even if we had 4 LPDs, 2 LSTs and the 2 Indera Saktis and even if by some divine miracle all were available at one particular time; we would still utilise commercial assets if ever there was an urgent need to rapidly move large numbers of men and gear to East Malaysia. It’s not as if we are landing on a hot or contested beachead; places we would be headed to would be Bintulu, Labuan and Sepanggar, all of which are fully equipped for the purpose.
Even the U.S. uses commercial assets to haul stuff around the globe. In 1991 Maersk was contracted to move Patriot batteries to Dahran, I know this because the 1st Mate on one of the ships was Malaysian. Sure, commercial ships are unarmed and are ill suited to delivering stuff to a beach but when it comes to delivering stuff to a port or a place where there’s a jetty, they can do it just as well as an LPD or LST. If we were ever faced with a scenario where state actors were interdicting our SLOC with East Malaysia, then this is when an LPD or LST would come in handy but even then, it would require X number of escorts.
AM – ”Btw, if the Laksamanas are said to be in poor condition, then it begs the question of whether the RMN killed it by starving it of maintenance funds, the same way the USAF did with the A-10. ”
For one, all 4 were delivered as they were, with hardly any modifications. Secondy, all were fitted out for Iraqi requirements and had less than desirable seakeeping. Ask anyone who has served on one and they will say that they had more confidence in the Oto Melara than the Aspide when it comes to dealing with aerial targets. All routinely entered dry dock for refits but by the mid-2000’s were already old and fitted out with various systems that badly needed replacing and systems that couldn’t be supported anymore. Constrast this with the Kasturis which were slightly older but gave better service. As for hulls, all steel has a finite life and some last longer than others but over time, the steel in hulls will weaken and corrode. After an exercise in the Philippines, a Laksamana’s departure for home had to be delayed due to a rosak A/C.
We actually spent quite a bit on the Laksamana: RM54.7 million in 2002 to upgrade the CMS on KD Hang Nadim and KD Tun Abdul Jamil and millions more on the RQN-5C ESM and a Nettuno-4100 jammer. Not to mention the millions spent on refits, preventive maintenance and spares [RM53 million in 2007 for Otomat and Aspide spares and support]. We also spent cash making sure the Alenia TG2 data link on the Super Lynx worked with the Otomat: a live firing was done in 2008 with OTH via the Super Lynx.
Don’t fret.
M’sis is not the only ones having budget problems. We Aussies also have issues, falling iron ore prices and a budget black hole. The Collins need to be replaced and the plan is for 10 subs, probably the Japanese Soryu….not to mention replacement for the Anzac class frigates.
All of this on top of the extra cash needed to fight terrorism and IS.