SHAH ALAM: Turkish shipbuilder, STM, showcase at LIMA 2023 was among the most visited the booth at the show with a string of visitors from RMN and others coming to see the scale model of the Ada-class corvette. It was the most frequented model of the whole show, I believed.
STM, a state-owned shipyard built the Ada-class corvette and its Ukrainian variant, Ivan Mazepa. The other variant of the corvette – the Pakistan Navy Babur class – is built by another state-owned shipyard, Istanbul Naval Shipyard together with the Karachi Shipyard.
As previously reported, the Ada class, is the design that is to be selected for the LMS Batch II. But as mentioned in the story – the Ada class – is likely to cost more than the budget for the LMS Batch II.
From the story:
As for the second issue on the Ada-class, the cost is said to be over the LMS Batch II budget. Malaysian Defence reported that the budget for the project is to be around RM4.1 billion spread over two RMK, three ships this RMK 12 (2021-2025) and others -five more in RMK 13.
It is because of this the industry thinks a smaller ship, like the Dearsan C92 and Damen Sigma 92 corvettes are more suitable based on the budget.
And as reported also, there was no announcement or even a whisper on the LMS II at LIMA 2023 despite at least five companies (including STM) showing off their proposals for the project.
From Turkey, there was the Dearsan C92 corvette and TAIS Shipyard with its 92-meter OPV and the South Korean Hyundai Heavy Industries with HDC 2000 LMS also at 92 metres in length. Not to forget is the Gading Marine Industries Sdn Bhd/Damen Sigma 92-meter corvette.
Since four of the STM competitors are showing 92-meter long vessels, one might assume that they know something here on the RMN requirements. The Ada-class for the record is 99 meters long. And it is the only one without a VLS – at least the Turkey variant – apart from the TAIS OPV which does not come with a VLS from the start.
The Ukrainian and Pakistan variants of the ADA class are fitted with VLS though. The Ukrainian one is fitted with the VLS for MBDA Sea Ceptor (four VLS one side) at the rear superstructure just before the helicopter hangar.
As expected, all three Turkish proposals will use the Havelsan Advent CMS if any of them is selected for the RMN. It must be noted that STM signed a collaboration agreement with Malaysian government owned Technology Depository Agency Berhad (TDA) for the LMS Batch 2 and the MMEA’s Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS) project, including the transfer of technology on June 1. TDA managed the Industrial Collaboration Policy (ICP) from the government procurements.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (40)
The question is
With the current official direction of the LCS Gowind project, is the LMS Batch 2 project still on the table? Do we have enough money to pay for both projects in RMK12? Or is it now on the backburner (at least for the 3 units LMS B2 planned for RMK12) in lieu of pumping in more money now into the LCS Gowind project?
Also with the news of official transfer of BNS to the government, should the government transfer all ship design IP previously owned by BNS to Technology Depository Agency Berhad (TDA), so that the government could ask any shipyard in malaysia to produce variants of the Kedah class or the Maharajalela class in the future (for RMN own use or even for export)?
Sorry, I meant to say I cannot see where the torpedo tubes are in the C92.
Could be hidden inside the superstructure as with the LCS
The silence due to the LMS B2 requirement already deleted due to the government choosing the option of reviving the Gowind project?
No comments on the ground at LIMA 2023 so not to spoil the atmosphere?
Hopefully there would be clearer news on the current status of the LMS B2 project in near future.
I didn't chase the story as I already knew no announcement will be made at LIMA
"the Ada class – is likely to cost more than the budget for the LMS Batch II"
So its back to the usual wishing for something but reality bites when not enough money. So how? Chop the ADA down to size in hopes it becomes cheaper? Massively FFBNW? Reduce down the number from 3 to 2? Or yet another "creative accounting" to fit all into an unchanged budget in hopes of pumping money some time later aka LCS?
Or will everyone wake up from their daydreams and actually select a design within the price we could afford? [Probably not!]
@hulubalang
"is the LMS Batch 2 project still on the table?"
Its not a question of if but when, LMS2 will materialise anyhow as its in the 15to5 Plan after all. How it will be configured for evolved missions are another matter.
"government transfer all ship design IP previously owned by BNS to TDA"
For what. Since Govt now owns BNS why would they want Govt/naval ships built somewhere else? If LMS2 goes to another design, its unlikely Kedah design will be revived as it no longer has purpose.
Why wouldn't kedah design has purpose?
Maybe we can trade our kedah to the Germans and then get a discounted meko with vls. Lets say we get 600m for 6 kedah, that's is more than lms 2 budget.money that we save then can be use to buy more damen opv for mmea.😉😉😉👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼😁😁😁👌👌👌
And here I am wishing upon a wee star that the LMS Batch 2 project stays on course. If ADA class isn't for us, perhaps the next best would be the Dearsan C92. Hopefully.
... - “.With the current official direction of the LCS Gowind project, is the LMS Batch 2 project still on the table? D”
You’ve asked this before. As it stands the LMS Batch 2 programme is still very much on.
... - “ to produce variants of the Kedah class or the Maharajalela class in the future (for RMN own use or even for export)?”
“For export”? Hardly likely if you really thought about it. What would be the pay off or the tangible benefits for anyone to deject a Malaysian yard to deliver a combatant when they could go Turkish or South Korean?
Dundun - “Why wouldn’t kedah design has purpose”
For the very simple reasons that the Meko-A100 would need major redesign work for it to be armed with a VLS cell and other things and that the RMN isn’t happy with certain aspects of the design; namely the way exhaust is pumped out of the ship in lieu of it not having a funnel.
Wong - “The silence due to the LMS B2 requirement already deleted due to the government choosing the option of reviving the Gowind project”
What were you expecting to be announced given it’s very early days? The lack of any news does not indicate it was because
“ the government choosing the option of reviving the Gowind project”. The government was always going to proceed with the LCSs and it was widely known.
Original 15 to 5 plan LMS requirement is drastically different than the current 92m corvette LMS B2, which specifies the same weapons load as the Gowind Frigates (minus ASW capabiliy), a helicopter pad and hangar.
The change of requirement was mainly due to the lack of clarity on the fate of the Gowind project at the time, and the revamped LMS B2 requirement is to be a Plan B in case the Gowind project went dodo (which was a very big possibility due to multiple government changes plus the covid crisis)
Now with the Gowind project is officially a go (with 5 ships approved initially in the budget), do they still need a 92m corvette for LMS? Or should the LMS requirement to revert back to the original plan during batch 1 ( of which the original requirement was also not fulfilled by the chinese built ships).