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Lying between the Straits of Malacca on its west coast, and with the South China Sea to the East, Malaysia occupies a geo-strategically important, and sensitive, area. An essentially maritime nation with numerous offshore territories, the country has ongoing maritime disputes with most of its neighbours, both within and outside ASEAN. In total, the RMN is responsible for safeguarding 4,900km of coastline, a 3,200km exclusive economic zone and 598,540 square kilometers of territorial waters. Its missions are, therefore, heavily weighted towards local sea control and SLOC protection-type activities, ranging from ASW to EEZ protection, to the defence of merchant shipping and ship-borne reinforcements to various island possessions. Malaysia's Armed Forces suffered from the economic downturn that the country suffered during the 90's. But in the last few years the economy has recovered which resulted in a large increase in defense spending.
Today Malaysia has one of the most ambitious defence procurement plans in south-east Asia. Major Orders for the Royal Malaysian Navy include an order for 3 submarines worth about 1.035 billion euro (US$972 million). with French and Spanish Shipyards. The order includes 1 Ex-French navy Agosta 70 Submarine for initial training and 2 new SSK Scorpene submarines to enter service in 2007 and 2009 respectively. These are the first submarines to enter Malaysian service and a new naval base is being built to house the submarines at Teluk Sepanggar in the east Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo. These submarines are a powerful addition to the Malaysian fleet and will compose a serious threat to Singapore. Another major deal was for as many as 27 new generation patrol vessels (NGPVs). According to the reports, the purchase of these ships will be spread over 15 years, and will be the country's largest-ever defence procurement programme. In October 1997 it was announced that the German Naval Group, led by Blohm and Voss, had been selected as the foreign partner for the deal.
In May 1999 the government gave the go-ahead for the first batch of six ships to be built. The major beneficiary of the deal will be the Penang Shipbuilding Corporation - Malaysia's biggest defence company.
Recent additions to the fleet were two Lekiu Class friagtes, KD Lekiu and Jebat which are the most powerful warships in the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) and amongst the most advanced of their type in the region. The Navy Air Arm is to be completely replaced with new helicopters. The current sole helicopter type is RMN service is the WASP HAS.1 which is to be replaced by 6 AS 555 SN Fennec for training duties and 6 Super Lynx 300. The Chief of the RMN has recently outlined the need for an light carrier in the near future. The light carrier would act as a Multi-Role support ship which would improve the RMN capabilities in defending Malaysian interests. Included with the light carrier would be 6-10 fixed wing attack aircraft. The RMN is also looking for up to 4 new MPA.
Surface Combatants :
- Lekiu Class Frigates
The Malaysian Ministry of Defence placed a contract on Yarrow Shipbuilders (now BAE Systems Marine) in Glasgow for two light frigates of the Frigate 2000 design. The first ship, the Lekiu (30), was launched in December 1994, with the second, the Jebat (29), following in May 1995. The Kapal DiRaja Lekiu and Kapal DiRaja Jebat frigates were commissioned into the Royal Malaysian Navy in March and May 1999. The ships are equipped with the Alenia Marconi Systems Nautis F II combat data system and a Radamec Series 2000 Optronic Weapon Director.
The frigatesÂ’ anti-ship missile is the MBDA MM40 Exocet Block II. The two four-cell launchers are installed on the ship. The MBDA Seawolf short-range missile provides protection against supersonic aircraft and anti-ship missiles to a range of 6km. The twelve vertical launchers are installed in front of the bridge. The shipÂ’s main gun is the Bofors 57mm gun that fires 2.4kg shells at a rate of 220 rounds/min. Two MSI 30 mm guns fire 0.36kg rounds to a range of 10km at a firing rate up to 650 rounds/min. On the raised deck at the level of the roof of the helicopter hangar are the Whitehead 324mm B515 triple tube torpedo launchers for lightweight anti-submarine launchers. The ship is equipped with a hangar and a helicopter deck with a single landing spot to accommodate an AgustaWestland Lynx helicopter
- Kasturi Class (FS 1500) Frigates
In the 1980's two Kasturi class Frigates were delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy, which were constructed in Germany by HDW on the FS 1500 Frigate design.They are armed with a Creusot Loire 100mm main gun, Bofors Mk1 57mm gun , 30mm twin cannons, Bofors 375mm ASW rockets and 4 MM38 Exocet SSM. They lack serious AAW and point-defense systems.
The 2 ships are planned to go through an upgrade soon, which will see their command and control system upgraded as well as a new electronic warfare suite. Torpedo tubes and a CIWS like the Phalanx will be installed.
- Laksamana Class Corvettes
In October 1995 the Malaysian Ministry of Finance signed a contract with Fincantieri for the supply of two 650t missile corvettes for the Royal Malaysian Navy. A further two missile corvettes were ordered in February 1997.The original ship design had been ordered by the Iraqi Navy, some specific aspects of the ships' design were modified and the ships were refitted to meet the requirements of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The ship's long-range sea-skimming missile system is the Otomat Mark 2/Teseo by MBDA. Six Otomat Teseo Mark 2 missile launcher, three pointing to port and three pointing starboard, are installed on the stern deck. The ship's medium-range air defence system is the Albatros supplied by MBDA, which provides defence against aircraft and incoming anti-ship missiles. Albatros fires the Aspide missile which has a speed of Mach 2.5 and a 15km range. The ships torpedo system is the ILAS-3 torpedo launcher from Whitehead Alenia of Salvanio, Italy. The triple launchers are installed one each side on the main deck armed with the A244/S anti-submarine torpedoes.The ship's radar suite consists of: RAN 12L/X air and surface search radar, supplied by Alenia Marconi Systems.
- Meko A-100 RMN Class Corvettes
The Malaysian Navy has ordered six Meko A-100 to be used as coastal patrol vessels. The first two will be built in Germany and assembled in Malaysia. Subsequent vessels will be built by PSC Naval Dockyard, Malaysia. The keel for the first ship was laid down in November 2001 and the second in December 2001. They are scheduled for delivery in 2004.
The MEKO A-100 RMN patrol vessel being built for Malaysia has a displacement of 1,650t. Initially the vessels will be armed by an OtoBreda 76/62 Rapido medium range gun and an OtoBreda/Mauser 30mm short range gun, but provision is made for the later addition of one RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) RIM-116A launcher for air defence and two launchers for the MM40 Exocet anti-ship missile. The vessel's combat management system will be the STN Atlas Elektronik COSYS-110M1. The main surveillance radar will be the TRS-3D/16 ES three-dimensional radar from EADS Deutschland.
- Handalan Class (Spica-M) Patrol Craft
Small Patrol Craft armed with 1 Bofors 57 mm /70 gun, 1 Bofors 40 mm /70 gun and 4 Aerospatiale MM 38 Exocet Anti-Ship Missiles. The Patrol craft are a Swedish Design and a total of four Spica-M Patrol Craft were built by It was built by Karlskrona (Sweden) and all four were commissioned in October 1979.
KD Handalan (3511), is the Patrol Craft's squadron Flagship. These are due to go through an upgrade will see the introduction of new radar suite and more modern Anti-Ship missiles.
Support Ships :
- Sri Indera Sakti Class Support Ships
The RMN has two Sri Indera Sakti Class support Ships, KD Sri Indera Sakti (1503) commissioned in 1980 and KD Mahawangsa (1504) commissioned in 1983. They are Multi-Role Support Ships who can perform a variety of duties like logistics, transport, amphibious transport, command post, small craft tender, training ship ,..
KD Sri Indera Sakti was built in Germany and KD Mahawangsa in South Korea. They can carry upto 600 troops and fully loaded their displacement is 4,300 tons. They are armed with 1 Bofors Mk1 57mm gun and 2 20mm Machine guns.
Submarines :
- Agosta 70 Class Training Submarine
MALAYSIA on Wednesday, June 5, sealed a 1.035 billion euro (US$972 million) deal to buy three French submarines to establish its first fleet of subs but dismissed fears of an arms race. One of these is a overhauled ex-French navy submarine, the Agosta 70, for initial training. The Agosta will be used to train RMN personnel in Toulon for four years, before being transferred to Malaysia.
186 Malaysian officials would be trained by the French navy over the next two to four years to operate the submarines. A new naval base to house the submarine squadron is being built at Teluk Sepanggar in the east Malaysian state of Sabah in Borneo.
- SSK Scorpene Class Attack Submarine
The Malaysian Ministry of Defence has awarded European naval shipbuilders DCN International and Izar a contract to build two medium-size Scorpene submarines. The contract signing ceremony held on June 6th 2002 in Kuala Lumpur marks an impressive move by the Royal Malaysian Navy paving the way for the formation of a submarine fleet. Submarines will significantly expand Malaysia's naval capabilities.
The two new-generation conventional attack submarines (SSKs) will be built jointly by DCN and Izar. The first, to enter service in 2007, will be assembled in Cherbourg (France) and the second, to enter service in 2008, at Izar's Cartagena shipyard in Spain.
Scorpene is equipped with six bow-located 21in torpedo tubes providing salvo launch capability. The submarine's weapons include anti-ship and anti-submarine torpedoes and anti-surface missiles. 18 torpedoes and missiles can be carried, or 30 mines. The handling and loading of weapons is automated. The SUBTICS combat management system, with up to six multifunction common consoles and a centrally situated tactical table, is collocated with the platform-control facilities. The vessel's sonar suite includes a long-range passive cylindrical array, an intercept sonar, active sonar, distributed array, flank array, a high-resolution sonar for mine and obstacle avoidance and a towed array. The submarine incorporates a high level of system redundancy to achieve an average 240 days at sea per year per submarine. The maximum diving depth is 300m. The planning and design of the Scorpene was directed towards achieving an extremely quiet vessel with a great detection capability and offensive power. Designed for missions ranging from anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare to special operations and intelligence gathering.
Helicopters :
- AS 555 SN Fennec
Following an announcement in April that the Fennec had been chosen to replace the ex-Royal Navy WASP HAS.1 fleet operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy , the Malaysian government signed a contract for six AS 555 SN Fennecs on the penultimate day of Lima 2001. The twin-engined AS 555 SN Fennec will be used as training platforms for future Super Lynx pilots.
The Fennec fleet will also perform the light utility and liaison roles. The sensor suite was not announced but will most likely include a GPS and FLIRThe AS 555 SN is armed with torpedoes and is used for anti-submarine warfare.
- Super Lynx 300
Malaysia is the launch customer for the Super Lynx 300, having confirmed its order for six of the type in September 1999 in a contract valued at £100 million. Aircraft ZJ905, the second of six AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 helicopters destined for the Royal Malaysian Navy, was unveiled at Farnborough 22 July 2002 in the first public display of the aircraft.
The latest generation, the Super Lynx 300 took its maiden flight in June 2001. The first production version (for the Malaysian Navy) flew in May 2002. It incorporates an all new glass cockpit with seven colour active matrix LCDÂ’s (liquid crystal displays), new avionics, improved airframe, more powerful CTS800-4N engines (jointly developed by Rolls-Royce and Honeywell partnership, LHTEC) with FADEC (Full Authority Digital Electronic Control). The new engines will operate more effectively in hot and high conditions. The Super Lynx 300 can be armed with up to four Sea Skua anti-ship missiles, a range of depth charges, including the Mark 11 depth charges, and torpedoes, including the Mark 44, Mark 46, the A244S and the Stingray torpedoes.
