SHAH ALAM: RMN has taken delivery of ex-Sundang on October 23 after the patrol craft completed its refit. She is the first of two ex-MMEA PC to be redelivered and refitted so they can return to service with the RMN. More on this on Malaysian Defence post here.
It is interesting note that the ex-Sundang (and ex-Panah) were previously called – KD Sri Sarawak and KD Sri Sabah – by RMN itself but the latest release did not mention the names. Perhaps, they are waiting for the commissioning ceremony before calling the two PCs their new names.
The release:
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KUALA TERENGGANU, 23 Okt – Panglima Logistik Barat, Laksamana Pertama Ts. Shaiful Bahri bin Baharuddin telah menyempurnakan majlis penerimaan PC Ex-SUNDANG yang selesai menjalani refit di Pulau Kambing, hari ini.
Dalam tempoh terdekat, sebuah lagi PC iaitu Ex-PANAH juga akan diterima. Melalui inisiatif pindah-milik dan pelaksanaan refit ini, kedua-dua PC telah diberi nafas baharu di mana pendekatan βtotal make-overβ telah berjaya mengubah landskap dan keupayaan kapal. Maklumat tambahan berkaitan program ini adalah seperti di pautan berikut:
Lawatan PTL ke MSET dan mantan KSU ke MSET
https://www.facebook.com/100067407635021/posts/626457769611139/?app=fbl
Memindah milik dan mengaktifkan semula kedua-dua PC adalah pendekatan filling the gap. Semoga PC tersebut berupaya meneruskan khidmat bakti kepada TLDM dengan flying colours, secara berkesan dan efektif. Sekalung tahniah kepada semua pihak yang terlibat dengan inisiatif ini β We make it happen.
Sumber : Markas Tentera Laut, Bahagian Kejuruteraan, RMN Chief Engineer Office
Artikel : Laksamana Muda Datoβ Ir. Ts. Haji Mohd Shaiful Adli Chung
Foto : Lt Dya Khairul bin Azhar TLDM
Unfortunately, we have no idea on how much the cost of putting back both boats into service. There were two tenders to repair radios and the installation of new equipment on them but the cost of the contracts awarded to two separate companies, were not revealed.
Anyhow, from pictures released by RMN on the delivery of ex-Sundang and other releases, it is likely that both PC will look like KD Sri Johor and KD Sri Perlis both based at RMN regional headquarters 2 in Sandakan, Sabah. Sri Johor is involved in another Borneo War exercise currently conducted by RMN Eastern Fleet command in waters off Kota Kinabalu.
As usual a grainy picture of Sri Johor was published in the release (above) but thanks to AI, we now have a high-resolution image of her outline (below and main image).
As mentioned previously, Sri Johor and her sister ship is currently armed with a single 40mm Bofors gun in the A-position. The rear 40mm gun has been removed and a RHIB has been installed in that position. Two machine guns mounts are also installed aft of the new superstructure.
— Malaysian Defence
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A 40mm weapon only or looks like could mount a 30/50 cal at the exposed portion aft of upper deck?
Original KD Sri Sabah (3144) was transferred to APMM renamed KM Labas and scrapped 2018. Original KD Sri Sarawak (3145) transferred to APMM renamed KM Sipadan, sunk as reef off Tioman. If the planned renaming is to be continued, that will make their history very convoluted.
As for the Vosper design, there are actually a few sisterships built for USCG that is available for transfer, and all of them are younger (oldest built in 1985) than the current 4 remaining Vosper PC with TLDM. These have the same hull design as our PC, but with a much better designed superstructure. Why we did not copy this better superstructure design is a mystery.
https://media.defense.gov/2019/Apr/26/2002121803/-1/-1/0/180313-G-XQ144-009.JPG
They got two 50 caliber machine guns on the aft of the superstructure
History
KD Sundang – P36
launched 22/05/1966
commissioned November 1966
Passed to APMM 2006
KM Segantang – 3133
retired APMM 2018
passed APMM back to TLDM 10/06/2020
accepted back to TLDM after OP program – 23/10/2023
KD ??? – 46
KD Panah – P42
launched 10/10/1966
commissioned July 1967
Passed to APMM 2006
KM Kukup – 3135
retired APMM 2018
passed APMM back to TLDM 10/06/2020
accepted back to TLDM after OP program – TBA
KD ??? – 48
Original KD Sri Sabah – P3144
launched 30/12/1963
commissioned September 1964
Passed to APMM 2006
KM Labas – 3137
retired APMM 2018 – scrapped??
Original KD Sri Sarawak – P3145
launched 20/01/1964
commissioned September 1964
Passed to APMM 2006
KM Sipadan – 3131
retired APMM 2018 – sunk artificial reef off Pulau Tioman
KD Sri Perlis – P47
launched 26/05/1967
commissioned 28/01/1968
OP program start 11/08/2020 (Preston shipyard)
accepted back to TLDM after OP program – 24/09/2021
KD Sri Johor – P49
launched 21/08/1967
commissioned 14/02/1968
OP program start – 31/10/2022 (Preston shipyard)
accepted back to TLDM after OP program – 23/07/2023
@hulubalang
“Why we did not copy this better superstructure design”
Since this is an OP Plus so the superstructure is of indigenous design by MSET i believe therefore you have to ask them that. How USCG one is better can be arguable as its based on internal space usage and might differ from what TLDM wanted so perhaps the MSET one was ‘better’ for them. It appears the design provided a lot more internal volume as it wraps around the smoke outlets of the ori design.
Also this is prolly designed so the rehull is as cheaply possible as the boats arent going to be used for an extended period after this. I doubt MMEA will want them back but i could be wrong.
@ joe
It was not redesigned by MSET. The 1st ship to this OP design was KD Sri Perlis in 2021.
I think the USCG superstructure design is better due to the better packaging, higher bridge, the sloping forward design (instead of sloping back) of the bridge windows. This type of windows would create a cooler bridge, and less glare from the sun especially in tropical weather like malaysia.
the laksamana’s new superstructure design has sloped forward bridge windows after the rebuild so it’s not like the concept is alien to both rmn or the shipbuilders
@ dundun
” so itβs not like the concept is alien to both rmn or the shipbuilders ”
Of course, it is a very common sense design. The question is why it was not applied for the Vosper PC OP redesign?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9Rs8l5bIAA97aM.jpg
BTW KD Sri Johor old and new
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F9RnVF5aMAAOZzO.jpg
Someone correct me if Iβm mistaken. The MMEA has only transferred a pair of former RMN PCs back to the RMN; correct?
AFAIK yes, but as with the Pengawal, they did not announced the second one. So yes, they could in fact they could have gotten more PC.
Yes, only a pair, and both was transferred (and announced) at the same time. That is probably all that is remaining, most of the vospers by that time has been sunk as artificial reefs.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EaJDcziUEAAtyLD.jpg