ANKARA, June 11 — The Defence Ministry (Mindef) yesterday handed over a Letter of Agreement (LOA) to purchase a second batch of three littoral mission ships (LMS) to Turkiye-based Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik (STM).
The handover was done between Mindef deputy secretary-general (development) Mohd Bakhari Ismail and STM general manager Ozgur Guleryuz, witnessed by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Turkish Defence Industry Secretary Haluk Gorgun at the STM headquarters here.
Khaled said the project will take about three years to complete and Malaysia will receive the three ships by end-2027.
“We are confident this project will be completed within the set time as the company is owned by the Turkiye government and chaired by its President, so there is a guarantee from the government,” he said at a press conference after the handover ceremony here.
Khaled is on a five-day official visit to Turkiye.
He said the planning of the Defence White Paper outlines that the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) needs 18 LMS to patrol the country’s waters, which comprise the South China Sea, the Sulawesi Sea, the Malacca Strait and the Sulu Sea.
“With the acquisition of this second batch of three LMS, it is hoped it will help us acquire the 18 ships needed for RMN. The approach of handing over the LOA to Turkiye depends on its ability to complete it within the set time, because if it cannot be completed, it will affect all plans,” he said.
The construction and equipment of the ship will be carried out in Turkiye with the cooperation of 50 companies from the Turkish defence sector, including Aselsan, Havelsan and Roketsan, which will be integrated with advanced systems and equipped with advanced weapon systems, sensors and command and control systems that enable RMN to effectively carry out various missions.
The second-batch LMS comprise Ada-class corvettes, which are a type of patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel equipped with advanced anti-aircraft missiles with a displacement of approximately 2,500 tonnes, a length of 99.56m, a keel of 14.42m and a draft of 3.94m, and is powered by a 31,640kW Renk Codag engine.
With a maximum speed limit of over 26 knots and a cruising distance of 4,000km at 14 knots, it can accommodate 111 crew and has a maximum endurance of 14 days. It is also equipped with a helipad and hangar to store and operate ASW helicopters or medium-sized carriers, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.
Earlier, Khaled signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the government-to-government procurement for Turkish-Malaysian defence products.
“This kind of MoU has never been made by Malaysia with any country but was made with Turkey as it reflects our close relationship … based on trust, respect and the desire to help each other.
“I believe the signing of this MoU will bring benefits to both countries, especially Malaysia, as Turkey is a sophisticated military power with excellent defence technology and is one of the most advanced military asset manufacturing countries in West Asia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Khaled said to prove their commitment in implementing the MoU, the two countries will establish a special committee within the next six months to plan initiatives and monitor the progress of implementation.
— Bernama
