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

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