SHAH ALAM: The re-alignment of the RMN 15-to-5 plan means the service will have two more classes of ships, which had not been mentioned in the old one. The two classes are designated as the support group – four mine-hunters and two hydrographic ships.
It must be noted under the old plan, mine-hunting and hydrographic duties, were to be conducted by the LMS using containerized equipment. I am guessing that the idea of using containerized equipment has been dropped in favor of specialized hulls.
By designating the two classes as the support group, RMN can call the new plan 15-to-5 as well. The five classes are designated as the Surface Group – 12 LCS; 18 Corvette or PV; 18 LMS; four submarines and three MRSS. The number of ships to be procured remained the same as the old plan though.
Apart from the graphic which was published as part of the RMN Chief 90th anniversary address, there is no further explanation on the issue. I am guessing the Chief will have further explanation when the realignment is launched next week during DSA 2024.
Among others, the new plan called for the PV class to be recognized as corvettes. It is unclear whether the Kedah class will be redesignated as corvettes though as it needs to be upgraded with drones, anti-submarine, anti-air and a much better electronic warfare suite. The soon to be built Ada class variant is likely to be equipped with such capability from the start.
The MRSS will also be a fully amphibious ship with a deck well to operate two landing craft. Another batch of LMS will also be procured but it is likely to be a non-China made warship.
Of course, the biggest mystery is whether the government is willing to fund the plan.
— Malaysian Defence
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View Comments (81)
To be honest.
That is not a plan.
That is just a justification of why the messy fleet is like it is right now.
Clearly it is not 5 types of ship.
There are 7 types, and it could even be 8 as the "corvette" designation is just like an afterthought, and not even listed in the future force list. From the list
- 12 LCS (How to get 12 when only 5 is to be completed??)
- 18 PV (why do you still need 18 dedicated PV when we have APMM??)
- 18 LMS (LMS B1?? LMS B2 Corvette?? Or other types??)
- 4 MCMV (this are 40 years old now. What next?? no plans just put the 4 in the graphic??)
- 2 Hydro (KD Perantau is one, to build KD Perantau sistership? To build 2 new class of Survey ships??)
- 4 Subs
- 3 MRSS
- 2 Training Ship not included??
- What is the plan for all the OP'ed FACs and Laksamanas not included??
LCS
- Do we want to build 7 more Gowinds? What is the timeline?
MRSS
- Strategic sealift with a capacity of just 20 IFVs?? That is a joke. Might just ask USN for its retired JHSV.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GIhCy5EacAA5MWz.jpg
LMS
- 32 knots?? Both the Chinese Keris-class and Ada-class cannot reach 32 Knots!
- My proposed LMS-X
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GLww1BDbQAAtHw0.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GMpdKk2a8AAsA6q.jpg
Sub
- still just 4?? timeline??
Corvette
- Uparmed Kedah class? Can it survive being lobbed with multiple anti-ship missiles of ballistic, hypersonic and supersonic kind?
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My alternative TLDM 20 year plan to 2040
RMK 12 2021-2025 (USD2.0 bil)
- LCS Gowind USD1.15bil Project continue (assume balance RM5.2bil need to be budgeted in RMK12)
- LCS Gowind USD0.125bil Assembly cost for 6th Gowind
- 13 FIC batch 2 USD0.03bil Gading G2000 MkII FIC
- 12 LMS-X Damen FCS5009 USD0.4bil including surface attack missile module.
- 3 70-80m OSV 0.1 auxillary ship, MCM mothership, SF support, SUB support/tender, UAS support, pipeline security/surveillance
- 5 AW139 MUH batch 2 0.1
- 4 RQ-21A Blackjack UAV (used) 0 4 systems of 5 airframe each. ex USMC retired. Free US EDA
total 1.905
RMK 13 2026-2030 (USD2.0 bil)
- 1 Scorpene SSK USD0.6bil assembled in Sepanggar
- 12 LMS-X damen FCS5009 USD0.4bil including surface attack missile module.
- 2 Fast RORO (used) USD0.04bil replacement for MPCSS. Similar concept to Spanish Navy SPS Ysabel
- 1 Fleet tanker USD0.09 replacement of BM5, BM6. STM Turkiye fleet tanker 17,000 ton. MMHE
- top up NSM and VL MICA NG missiles USD0.3bil
- 8 SH-60J Seahawk USD0.2bil ex-JMSDF airframe + new avionics, radar, sonar
- 2 MCM modular system set USD0.15bil
- 6 ASW module for LMS-X USD0.12bil KraitSense system / Sea Serpent system
total USD1.9bil
RMK 14 2031-2035 (USD2.4 bil)
- 1 Scorpene SSK USD0.6bil assembled in Sepanggar
- 2 Arrowhead 140 Frigate USD1bil Kasturi Class replacement
- 1 Fleet tanker USD0.09bil replacement of BM5, BM6. STM Turkiye fleet tanker 17,000 ton. MMHE
- top up LMS-X surface attack module missiles USD0.3bil
- 2 MCM modular system set USD0.15bil
- UAS, USV project USD0.2bil
total USD2.34bil
RMK 15 2036-2040 (USD2.4 bil)
- 2 Scorpene SSK USD1.2bil assembled in Sepanggar
- 2 Arrowhead 140 Frigate USD1bil Lekiu class replacement
- 30 FIC replacement USD0.1bil For PASKAL SF support, replacement CB90, G2000
total USD2.3bil
TLDM 2040 Fleet
6x Scorpene SSK
4x Arrowhead 140 Frigate
6x Gowind Frigate
24x LMS-X FCS5009
30x FIC
2x Fleet Tanker
2x Fast RORO
3x OSV - auxillary ship, MCM mothership, SF support, SUB support/tender, UAS support, pipeline security/surveillance
1x Sub Rescue (leased)
8x SH-60J ASW
8x AW139 MUH
RQ-21 Blackjack UAV
MQ-27 Scaneagle UAV
A leaner TLDM with 10 Frigates, 6 Scorpene Submarines and 24 LMS-X would take up the deterrence side of Malaysian Maritime Security scenario. When out at sea, a Gowind frigate would sail with at least 2 LMS-X that acts as loyal wingman/distributed lethality node/ASW multistatic sensors towing cheap towed sonars such as the Kraitsense/SeaSerpent system
To support 6 large ships always at sea off sabah and sarawak (to monitor Chinese Coast Guard ships plus ASW surveillance of the Spratlys), plus 1 each off east and west coast of the peninsular, quantity as per pictured below would be needed
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_nBAO1bEAA8GbP.jpg
All large OPVs & Frigates to be operational at sea for at least 30 days at a time.
with other near shore areas covered by LMS-X, NGPC, new 25m PC, FIC and RHFB.
To have 1 ship always at sea, we usually will need 3 of the same, so that:
1 operational at sea
1 return from operations/maintenance/rest
1 training/standby/ready to go to sea
We can easily achieve 18 large OPV + 3 OSV Rescue/Tow/Patrol ships for APMM for a budget as low as USD 400 million spent in this and next RMK (RMK12 2021-2025 and RMK13 2026-2030). APMM would be the primary service for the day to day security of Malaysian Maritime Zone.
@Hulubalang
"Of course, the biggest mystery is whether the government is willing to fund the plan."
The RMN is in dire need of a win. I truly pray that they have the funds and necessary arrangements to execute this new revised plan.
With TLDM currebt budget of USD1b and assuming yearly growth of 5%, best case scenario in 2040 TLDM budget maybe exceed USD2b per annum. But i totally doub5 it can afford 15 plus 5 plan...Gut feel i say with that budget they can only operate 5 or 6 lcs, 68 LMS/corvette, 2 subs, 12 Heli, 8 OPV, 2 mpss, 4 minehunter and 2 hydrp
68 LMS? My thinking more like 10...4 China LMS and six Turkish or South Korean designs...
@ haiqal
How much money would 18 LMS batch 2 Corvette cost?
If same as current request for USD175 million per ship, that is USD3.15 billion
How much does 7 more gowinds cost? If USD400 million each, that is USD2.8 billion
12 more PV?? Kedah class cost USD300 million each...
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My 24x LMS-X will cost USD0.8 billion for all (USD33.33 million each)
4x Arrowhead 140 cost USD2 billion (USD500 million each)
4x Scorpene cost USD2.4 billion (USD600 million each)
My TLDM plan would be supported by development of APMM fleet too. A reason why in my opinion TLDM does not really need NGPV in their planning
For a development budget of USD500-800 million for each Rancangan Malaysia, we could get APMM :
RMK 12 2021-2025 (USD0.5 bil)
– ~ additional budget to complete 2x DAMEN OPV 1800 USD0.05bil
– 2 Ex JCG OPV USD0.02bil sisterships of KM Pekan
– 3 OSV AHT 70-80m used USD0.04bil As OPV/rescue/salvage/tow/firefighting
https://media.fleetmon.com/cache/newsroom_article_images/ALMIRANTESTORNI5/984cd4056b8638619ac4fbacd007d369.jpg
– 2 ex USCG WMEC Cutter transfer (intrim OPV, to be retire 2035) free
– 6 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 USD0.09Bil
– 30 12.5m RHFB Perkasa USD0.01bil
– 10 Penggalang FIC USD0.02bil
– 30 various RHIB USD0.01bil
– 4 AW189 USD0.127bil
total USD0.377billion
RMK 13 2026-2030 (USD0.8 bil)
– 3 Hyundai HDP-3000 Tae Pyung Yang 113m OPV USD0.2bil
– 3 60m sail patrol vessel (based on Rainbow Warrior) USD0.12bil
– 12 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 USD0.18bil
– 6 ex Kedah Class transfer refit USD0.04bil
– 4 ex Keris Class transfer free
– 15 25m PC USD0.05bil
– 60 12.5m RHFB Perkasa USD0.02bil
– 10 Penggalang FIC USD0.02bil FIC recapitalisation
– 30 8m RIB USD0.006bil RIB recapitalisation
– 3 ex-TUDM CN-235MSA free
– 1 CL-415EAF USD0.035bil
– 3 AS365N3 used USD0.02bil
– 4 AW139 USD0.08bil
Total USD0.771 billion
RMK 14 2031-2035 (USD0.8 bil)
– 3 Hyundai HDP-3000 Tae Pyung Yang 113m OPV USD0.2bil
– 3 60m sail patrol vessel (based on Rainbow Warrior) USD0.12bil
– 12 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 USD0.18bil
– 30 25m PC USD0.1bil
– 60 12.5m RHFB Perkasa USD0.02bil
– 10 Penggalang FIC USD0.02bil FIC recapitalisation
– 30 8m RIB USD0.006bil RIB recapitalisation
– 6 Beech B260 MSA USD0.1bil
Total USD0.746 billion
RMK 15 2036-2040 (USD0.8 bil)
– 3 Hyundai Tae Pyung Yang 115m OPV USD0.2bil ex-JCG OPV replacement
– 6 60m sail patrol vessel (based on Rainbow Warrior) USD0.24bil
– 6 DAMEN FCS 4008 Patrol NGPC2 USD0.09bil
– 15 25m PC USD0.05bil
– 30 12.5m RHFB Perkasa USD0.01bil
– 10 Penggalang FIC USD0.02bil
– 30 8m RIB USD0.006bil
– 6 new helicopter USD0.1bil AS365 replacement
Total USD0.716 billion
MMEA 2040 Fleet
– Large OPV
3x DAMEN 1800 OPV
6x Kedah Class OPV
9x Hyundai HDP-3000 Tae Pyung Yang OPV
3x AHT OSV OPV
1x ex JCG (training)
– PV/PC
4x LMS68 68m
12x Sail Patrol Ship 60m (long endurance, very low operating cost for presence missions)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-udZWhasAEEWSW.jpg
6x NGPC 44m
36x FCS4008 Patrol 41m
45x 25m PC
– FIC/RHIB/RIB
50x FIC
150x 12.5m RHFB Perkasa – 48 knots
18x Banggi SEALEGS
60x Misc RIB
Picture of HDP-3000 aka Tae Pyung Yang class OPV
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB6i1yGbkAEn_Vc.jpg
Below picture is the FCS 4008 Patrol built by DAMEN Antalya Turkiye for Romanian Border Guard. It would be a perfect ship for next batches of NGPCs.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FeE4gayXgAsGfFR.jpg
Specs
Length – 41.2m
Top speed – 30 knots
range at TOP SPEED (yes not a typo) – 2,800nm. Yes it can run around chasing others at 30 knots for 2,800nm
This is also the same platform for UK Royal Navy’s XV Patrick Blackett, a R&D ship for future naval warfare systems.
Compare to current bagan datuk NGPC specs
top speed – 24 knots
range – 2,000nm at 12 knots cruise speed.
The FCS 4008 Patrol design would be a good choice to replace all the ex PX, ex PZ, ex bahtera, ex Bay class ships of APMM. To have proper project management and to leverage the economy of scale, building of these FCS 4008 patrol locally could be slotted into PETRONAS Project Safina, which is a project to locally build 100 OSVs of different types for PETRONAS contractors in the next 5 years.
They struggle with funding for only 5 LCS and 3 LMS2 and now they want 12+18+18. The whole organisation seem delusional
I thought main benefit of reducing to 5 classes was economies of scale ie less spare parts to worry about. If 1 type is actually more than 1 ship design then do we even need a plan?
The whole drama & corruption with just a couple of lcs ...
Not in 100 years these plan will ever be fulfilled.
& As total civilian with ni military knowledge, di malaysia need 4 Mine Hunters? (Assuming theyre do what they sound like)
Yes they do need mine hunters. Even 4 is not enough actually, which is the current numbers.
Here we go again. I wonder if Lunas will change the name to Luncai