SHAH ALAM: Back in 2018, Malaysian Defence wrote a post with the same title chronicling the delays into the LCS project. Several months later the project when into a complete halt, which only restarted last year. According to the Sixth Supplementary Contract (SSC) signed at LIMA 2023, the down slip for PCU Maharaja Lela was scheduled for May 2024 and the start of the harbour trials was in November.
Maharaja Lela was down slip in May but it appears that the harbour trials has not started as earlier this month, she was put back on the hardstand where work on her started back in 2015/2016. Now, it appears that the harbour trials will start this month as stated by Defence Minister DS Khaled Nordin during his visit to Lumut Naval Shipyard (Lunas) in May. So as off today, Lunas has 27 days to make good on the minister’s statement.
From the story:
“Now the shipyard will install equipment for the ship’s combat management, communication and weapon systems. By December, the ship will undergo the harbour acceptance test before proceeding to Sea acceptance trials.
And as planned the ship will be handed over to the RMN in August 2026. Khaled also said that LCS 2 to LCS 5 were under schedule with the former expected to be handed over to RMN in 2027. The other ship’s delivery will take place within eight months of each other with the last LCS to be completed in 2029.
This means that the harbour trials for PCU Maharaja Lela is delayed as had been shown by the schedule presented to the Public Accounts Committee last year (see below).
Will this have any effect on the planned delivery dates of August 2026? My guess is as good as yours. The pictures posted here was due to the visit of the Defence Ministry secretary-general Lokman Hakim Ali on November 30. According to the Lunas release on the visit, Lokman was accompanied by RMN Western Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Mohamad Azuwan Harun and Planning, Development and Contingency Assistant Chief of Staff First Admiral Azman Rabani.
Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, YBhg. Datuk Lokman Hakim Ali visited Lumut Naval Shipyard to review the progress of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) acquisition on the 30th of November 2024. He was accompanied by Western Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Mohamad Azuwan Harun and Assistant Chief of Staff for Planning, Development and Contingency, First Admiral Azman Rabani. They were welcomed by our Chief Operation Officer, Cdr (R) Jal Shazidi Bassari.
The visit commenced with a comprehensive presentation on the progress of the LCS project by our Director of LCS project , Rosnizam Che Puteh , followed by an extensive tour of LCS 1 through LCS 5. The visit also featured an in-depth look at the state-of-the-art Shore Integration Facility (SIF) technology, which is exclusively available at LUNAS, demonstrating the advanced capabilities we are developing to support the future of naval defence.
The visit underscores our unwavering commitment in delivering excellence while advancing Malaysia’s naval capabilities through every phase of the LCS program, ensuring the highest standards in defence technology and operational readiness.
It is interesting to note that the shipyard did not mention the dates for the Maharaja Lela harbour trials though it ran a teaser on the unveiling of PCU Sharif Mashor, the second LCS, on its reels channel. The unveiling will be done later this month, according to Lunas. LCS 2 is named after Sharif Mashor or Masahor, a Sarawakian chieftain who led a rebellion against the James Brooke administration in the late 1890s. Following the failed rebellion, Sharif was exiled to Selangor where he died in 1910 in Kerling.
Updated. Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari told Parliament today (November 3) that work on Maharaja Lela is expected by year end. He did not state specifically that the harbour acceptance test will start this month.
— Malaysian Defence
If we decide, by 2026 to continue building the LCS6 – Mat Kilau, it could be downslipped by January 2028, HAT by March 2028, SAT by Febuary 2029 and Physical hand over by December 2029.
I believe we just need to pay for LUNAS assembly works, as almost all the hardwares (steel pieces, engines, guns, radars, sonars etc) has already been paid for and even delivered to LUNAS.
Any news about the Mica? As i understood it all the equipments minus the mica has been bought & paid for yes?. It is likely that maharajalela will rollout without it as the ban on our palm oil still in effect
The steel has been bought but not cut yet. That is the reason they cancelled the sixth ship.
@ Marhalim
“The steel has been bought but not cut yet’
The steel pieces has been cut to size by CNC cutters back in Netherlands (IHC Metalix). Just need to assemble the pieces like a puzzle and weld them up.
We cancelled the 6th ship to fit within the available budget. Also we cannot start assembling the 6th ship right now because the space ashore at LUNAS is only available for 4 complete LCS actually. Only when LCS1 and LCS2 is in the water, then the work on the LCS6 (if we want to) can start.
@ Qamarul
“As i understood it all the equipments minus the mica has been bought & paid for yes”
Yes, that is correct. Anyway the palm oil ban is just for biofuels, not anything related to food.
I just hope the 6th LCS will be completed .
“From this angle, nothing else has been added to her mast nor her on top of the bridge.”
IMO that PSIM Mast is pretty much complete. Compare to this picture :
https://www.malaysiandefence.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/GOWIND-horizontal-2.jpg
Just remaining to fit the TMX/EO Mk2 FCR on top of the bridge and also additional whip antennas (if it is the same as the Egyption Gowind)
I prefer Rosli Dhoby instead Sharif Mashor name on that ship…
Hulubalang-IMO that PSIM Mast is pretty much complete.
From my info the Psim was manufactured outside not by Lunas yes? I remembered reading an article about the arrival of psim module from France. This integrated mast contain all the sensors, radars & electronics all housed in one single mast. So there the essence of transfer of technology in this one single mast. If the psim arrived from France then my question is what do we gain from this ToT program?
With the new landscape, I vote for Chin Peng or Rashid Maidin as the last LCS6. After all we must be fair to them in history.
As for deliveries, it will be delayed. Very sure.
Once slips happen, everything else will gets backlogged.
Cin Pen? Terroris history? Better put JWW Birch / Lopes Dis Squirrel.
@Faris
“Terroris history?”
Only if you see it from the established BN/UMNO/Western POV. Now things change, now nonBN Govt, we ady have roads named after Opposition MPs, those from other side no longer can be vilified. So from some DAP POV its natural to look back and revise our history too, as in a way their also ‘freedom fighters’ wat. If prefer all bumi quota then theres Rashid Maidin too wat.
Chin Peng? No frickin way. He is a marxist-leninist, Far left mao zedong worshipper. These guys dont even believe in God. Their loyalty is to the koumintang in ho chi minh & fu daqing a communist propagandist. They are paramilitary & really brutal in executing civilians in order to survive the guerilla war. Why not heroes like Rentap the Iban warrior, Dol Said of Naning, YAM Tuanku Antah of Sg Ujong, Antanom the murut warrior or Hj Abdul Rahman Limbong of terengganu etc. So many to pick for.
what an idiot
Pics of the LCS deck shows that there is no opening for the Mica VLS system.. Are we getting “Fitted For But Not With Missiles” LCSs for Air Defence System ?? LCS = Lemons
Why not KD Karpal Singh or Hu Sepang or Sjti Kasim?
To add to the ridiculous line.
“Why not KD Karpal Singh”
As I mentioned we ady have a major road (or roads?) named after him despite him never was in Fed Govt & no contribution on national scale. Need to give chance to others who were revered by the non-demagogue segment of rakyat.
“Sjti Kasim?”
Maybe, who knows, but we only give that to those who had kicked the bucket. So we need to wait somemore?
@mofaz
The launchers were installed, missiles not yet bought. Maybe the doors are under waterproof covers since its not being used?
” Pics of the LCS deck shows that there is no opening for the Mica VLS system ”
The ship is still undergoing fitting out. a lot of things is still not yet installed. The VLS location is directly in front of the bridge, where there is a high wall covering the area, behind the location for the 57mm BOFORS stealth cupola.
This is an example with the Egyptian Gowind
https://www.seaforces.org/marint/Egyptian-Navy/FRIGATE/El-Fateh-class_DAT/El-Fateh-class-Corvette-03.jpg
@Taib
You could add on and suggest KD Mahathir Mohamad
@James May
Tbh KD Mahathir Mohamad might happen if Malaysia buys more submarines
“suggest KD Mahathir Mohamad”
We will reserve that for the 4th sub after KD Tun Hussein Onn. But I wonder will we then honour KD Najib Razak?
Rumors says LCS Batch II, NGPV Batch II & LMS Batch III on discuss
Lunas already have design from PSC-ND & BNS, its will use or retender again use other design like from Turkiye or South Korea
Even if they used the Kedah class design, it will need to be rework to ensure that the new ships will be a much better fit for the current challenges. The Kedah class design was made to ensure PSC NDSB make as much money as possible and not to deliver new capabilities to the RMN.
Even though it was design to make the builder and its master rich, it failed, that is the irony of the situation.
“Rumors says LCS Batch II, NGPV Batch II & LMS Batch III on discuss”
Before we even discuss abt LCS Batch II, discuss about completing 6th Gowind the Mat Kilau first.
There is no need for NGPV Batch II, and even the current NGPV should be passed on to APMM when gowinds and turkiye STM corvettes are completed.
Current challenges
– CCG
this is best countered by cheap, less than USD100 million OPVs each operated by APMM. Even an OPV the displacement of the Gowinds can be had for the price of LMS 68 (See Hyundai HDP-3000)
– PLA-N
Probably no affordable surface ships we can have that can deal with any PLA-N surface ships. Not the gowinds, not the STM corvettes. Probably not going to be able to counter multiple strikes of supersonic and hypersonic anti-ship missiles. The only slim chance that we have is with our Scorpenes. A reason why TLDM needs more Scorpenes.
Current NGPV Kedah Class supposedly upgrade with anti ship missile, ASW and new automatic 35mm gun to prevent current treat at South China Sea
I think LCS Gowind and LMS Keris Class already fail program and need to be revised
“to prevent current treat at South China Sea”
What is you understanding of that “current threat”? Can uparmed Kedah class really able “to prevent current threat”?
You know before this why Kedah Class all base in KK?
Supposedly, all Kedah Class upgrade to full capability ASW Corvette but budget and design ship problem makes that plan not go through
Something to do, make people believe Malaysia do someting in South China Sea rather than send diplomatic notes but same time China mainland send their navy or coast guard to intrude our border & ZEE
“completing 6th Gowind the Mat Kilau first”
You mean the 6th LCS the Rashid Maidin?😉
“You know before this why Kedah Class all base in KK?”
Because they are used as OPVs to shadow and push back China Coast Guard ships.
The best thing for the Kedah class is to paint them white and operate them as Coast Guard OPVs, not to arm them with missiles and immediately lose them to supersonic or hypersonic missiles in an all out war.
https://i.redd.it/d9d2rbbukhv41.jpg
BTW when did the LCS2 name changed from Syarif Masahor (Sarawak) to Raja Muda Nala (Selangor) ?
Will the names of the other ships changed too?
No idea really.