SHAH ALAM: The RMN today (March 5) commissioned into service its second LMS, KD Sundang at the Kota Kinabalu naval base at Teluk Sepanggar. RMN chief Admiral Reza Sany read out the commissioning credentials at the ceremony before presenting it to Sundang first commanding officer, Kdr Khairil Sarian.
Admiral Reza reading the commissioning proclamation of KD Sundang at the ceremony.
The ship arrived at the base on January 24, ten days after it was formally accepted by the RMN from the shipbuilder at the Wuchang port in Qidong, Shanghai. Due to travel restrictions and lockdown imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic, the ceremony had to be postponed until today. KD Keris – the first of class LMS was commissioned in January, 2020.
KD Sundang.
From the RMN.
Untuk rekod, KD SUNDANG yang terdiri daripada 45 orang kru telah mengharungi pelayaran sejauh 1,862 batu nautika bermula pada 17 Januari 2021 dan selamat tiba di PTKK pada 24 Januari 2021.
Sebagaimana LMS Pertama (KD KERIS), KD SUNDANG akan beroperasi di bawah pemerintahan Markas Pemerintahan Armada Timur di Sabah. TLDM dijangka akan menerima Kapal LMS ke-3 dan ke-4 pula pada bulan Oktober dan Disember 2021 bagi memenuhi keperluan pengoperasian sepertimana yang dinyatakan dalam Pelan Transformasi 15 to 5.
It appears that the LMS programme will be the first RMN project to be completed on time and under budget in recent memory. Hopefully this will be the same for future projects like LMS II and MRSS. Hopefully it will also be safe enough for me to travel to Kota Kinabalu to cover the commissioning of the fourth and last LMS.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (23)
Just out of curiosity, do either the navy or coast guard have one of those unsinkable vessels? You know the type of boat that wouldn't capsize even when large wave hit said boat and make it to rollover?
Reply
Navy don't have, the MMEA got a number of rescue vessels but not sure they are the type you're talking about
Great news..Now how about KM Tun Fatimah? Any news on her launch? ..Should be on track right? That ship is a much needed one to boost APMM morale and presence in the height of CCG continous appearance at BPA..
China's recently approved law of allowing CCG to use weapons against intrusion inside its own waters is quite worrying as our entire EEZ is considered Chinese territory by these crooks.
MMEA should consider getting one or 2 of Bunga Mas size vessels should we encounter some of those 10 kTon vessels
ASM - “China’s recently approved law of allowing CCG to use weapons against intrusion”
Yes it is a matter of concern but it’s directed more at a certain country whose trawlers are active in the area (unlike us) and who has been involved in ramming and other incidents with the Chinese (unlike us).
It’s also very related to internal Chinese politics; the leadership playing up to rhetoric and indulging in nationalistic chest thumping for internal reasons.
ASM - “MMEA should consider getting one or 2 of Bunga Mas size vessels should we encounter some of those 10 kTon vessels”
For what? To ram them or look more intimidating? Even if the MMEA gets 2 as you suggest; what happens if they deploy 4 or 6 with another 4 on standby?
We continue doing all we can to monitor our waters and intercept intruders. We also hope that the politicians fund more patrol and other assets. What we don’t do is to Imitate or respond directly in the same manner; with what a much powerful country with much much resources is doing.
ASM,
There is no point out-muscling the Chinese, if Malaysia sends one 10k ton ship, they will send 2x 20k ships in response. It’s a David and Goliath battle and Malaysia can only play David......but play it to our advantage. The Chinese shooting at a smaller boat will only be to their detriment because they will then be really perceived as a serious big bully and in a post COVID world, China needs all the friend it can gather. China shooting on Malaysia will only harden the resolve of the US, UK, Australia and even the European. Big mistake and miscalculation on their part if they did.
Tom Tom - “ shooting on Malaysia will only harden the resolve of the US, UK, Australia and even the European”
It will drive Malaysia closer to the U.S....
We have to bear in mind that we are not in a state of tensions with China : our policy is to maintain the status quo. We also have to bear in mind that how China goes about handling the issue differs from country to country.
We’ve had it easier than Vietnam and the Philippines. Unless something drastically happens; we have to strive to maintain the status quo. We also have to balance the economic aspect in parallel with the security/sovereign one.
On top of that economic aspects (oil & gas); the reason China desires the area is because it’s an extension of its contested zone. Having control of the Spratlys improves China’s ability to break out of the First Island Chain which can be used to box China in.
It will be very interesting when the carrier QE 2 starts it’s maiden Pacific deployment....no doubt it will stop in Malaysia.
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More likely a Passex only
Azlan,
I never suggested ramming them. Why getting bigger ship = ramming?
The aim, as you mentioned, is to maintain the status quo, as well as to dissuade the C.O of that vessel from being overly adventurous.
I mentioned 2 vessels as I think that quantity is adequate for other MMEA tasks. I know the futility of playing the numbers game against China
If they deploy 4,6, 20 or 2000 then we would have no other choice but turn to the US.
Marhalim, wasn't there a collision incident previously involving a Kedah class and a CCG vessel? It took place during Lahad Datu siege I am not mistaken. Could you verify?
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Not AFAIK
Tom Tom
I didn't said anything about out-muscling the Chinese; my point of having ships about 10 kTons displacement is to dissuade them from blocking our ships' movement, which may happen if the difference is significant.
I know very well that we can't play a numbers game against China. If they decide to send ships in bigger numbers and displacement, then the only way out is to have US come in to balance the equation. Hence that's why I suggested 2 instead of 10, as I believed 2 is sufficient for this task and other roles MMEA has. MMEA itself has a requirement for 3 MPMS probably of around 6 - 8000 tonnes, so stretching it 10 ktons shouldn't be a problem.
ASM - “I never suggested ramming them. Why getting bigger ship = ramming”
No you didn’t : I did ...
I mentioned ramming because that’s the main premise behind calls for bigger ships. We should only go for bigger ships if the mission sets call for a ship with extended range and endurance; not merely because the Chinese are doing so..
ASM - “The aim, as you mentioned, is to maintain the status quo, as well as to dissuade the C.O of that vessel from being “overly adventurous”
- Getting a ship the size of the Bunga Lima is not maintaining the “status quo” but reacting directly to China; playing its game without tangible benefits to us ...
- We can deploy a 50,000 dreadnought with 21 inch guns but it won’t deter Chinese CO’s from being “overly adventurous”. If they don’t think twice about butting heads with the likes of the USN and JSDMF; you seriously think deploying a much bigger ship will do the trick?
ASM - “know the futility of playing the numbers game against China”
Good to hear ... There is also the “futility” of trying to directly match what China deploys: i.e. large ships. We do what we can based on our abilities/limitations. We gradually add more patrol assets; as well as UASs and land based sensors.
ASM - “If they deploy 4,6, 20 or 2000 then we would have no other choice but turn to the US”
The trick is not to give China the pretext to deploy large numbers of ships ...
We are not a U.S. treaty ally and China deploying larger numbers of ships in the contested waters may bot necessarily interfere with freedom of navigation; thus the U.S. might not intervene.
ASM - “MMEA itself has a requirement for 3 MPMS probably of around 6 – 8000 tonnes, so stretching it 10 ktons shouldn’t be a problem”
Actually it’s a “problem”. No MMEA base has jetties large or deep enough to accommodate a ship that large and with that draught. As it is the MMEA doesn’t even have enough facilities for what it currently has.
ASM - “about 10 kTons displacement is to dissuade them from blocking our ships’ movement, which may happen if the difference is significant.”
Unless one wants to use physical means (ramming) one does not need a ship of similar size/displacement to “block” another ship....