Military Nuts Ship of the week. The Lekiu Class Frigates
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LEKIU CLASS FRIGATES, MALAYSIA
The Kapal DiRaja Lekiu and Kapal DiRaja Jebat frigates were commissioned into the Royal Malaysian Navy in March and May 1999. 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 Jebat carries the lower pennant number to signify the seniority of this ship, which accommodates the Admiral of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
COMMAND AND CONTROL
The ship is equipped with the Alenia Marconi Systems Nautis F combat data system. A Radamec Series 2000 Optronic Weapon Director is installed on the roof of the bridge and the ship is also equipped with a Type V 3001 thermal imager from BAE SYSTEMS.
MISSILES
The frigatesÂ’ anti-ship missile is the MBDA (formerly EADS Aerospatiale) MM40 Exocet Block II. The two four-cell launchers are installed in the midship section between the two radar masts. The launchers are installed at a fixed angle of elevation, in a crossed configuration, one facing port and one starboard. Range and bearing data are downloaded into the missileÂ’s on-board computer. The missile uses inertial guidance for the cruise phase of the trajectory and then active radar homing by active monopulse seeker head. The sea-skimming missile approaches the target at high subsonic speed, 0.9 Mach.
The MBDA (formerly Matra BAE Dynamics) 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 missile uses a microwave link command-to-line-of-sight guidance system with television and radar tracking. A solid fuel propulsion rocket provides a speed of Mach 2.5.
GUNS
The shipÂ’s main gun is the Bofors 57mm gun that fires 2.4kg shells at a rate of 220 rounds/min. The range of the gun is 17km. 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.
HELICOPTER
The ship is equipped with a hangar and a helicopter deck with a single landing spot to accommodate an AgustaWestland Lynx helicopter. The 310m° landing deck is also capable of supporting a larger helicopter.
COUNTERMEASURES
The ship carries the Sea Siren towed torpedo decoy supplied by BAE Systems. The decoys are controlled over a serial data link to decoy passive and active homing torpedoes. Super Barricade twelve-barrelled chaff launchers are installed on both sides of the ship just forward of the helicopter deck. The frigate is fitted with BAE SYSTEMS Mentor electronic support measures (ESM) and Thales Defence Scimitar electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems.
SENSORS
The surface search radar, the Ericsson Sea Giraffe, operating at G and H bands, is positioned high on the main mast. Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) DA08 air search radar, operating at E and F bands, is installed on the tower to the aft of the main mast.
Two BAE SYSTEMS 1802 fire control radars, operating at I and J bands, are installed one on the roof deck of the hangar and one on the roof deck of the bridge. The shipsÂ’ I band navigation radar is supplied by Thales Defence.
The hull mounted Spherion TSM 2633 LF sonar, supplied by Thales Underwater Systems (formerly Thomson Marconi Sonar), operates at medium frequency around 7.5kHz. Spherion uses a spherical acoustic array and provides long-range active sonar for search and attack mode in anti-submarine warfare.
PROPULSION
The propulsion system is in a CODAD combined diesel and diesel configuration. The ship has four MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines, rated at 24.5MW sustained power. The engines drive two shafts with Kamewa controllable pitch propellers. The ship can attain a speed of 28 knots and has a range of over 5,000 miles. -
Ha, Talking about RMN and their new boat.
Question: Why after using MM38 and MM40, they decided to get. Otomat 2 missile?
Ans: After test firing MM38 and MM 40, they always miss the target. Why? MM38/40 means Manual Mat 38/40. Flying manually by Mat. So their Defence Dept search thru the internet and found something they are looking for; a Automatic Mat, aka Otomat 2
Now about RMAF.
How do they decide how may F/A-18 and Mig 29 to buy?
Ans: For F/A-18...1 X 8 so they get 8 F/A-18. For Mig 29? Yes, you are right, 2 X 9, and the figure comes up to be 18 Mig 29. Simple right?
Luckily we did not use this formula. If not will will have 4 A4SU, 5 F-5 and 6 F-16...
Joke aside. The RMN have improved a lot over the years and with the 2 Lekiu FFG and their Laksamana MCV (roughly equivalent to our MCV), they can be quite a pain in the ***. And looking at their not-so-future acquisition of 6 MEKO 100 frigates. The MEKO A-100 RMN patrol vessel being built for Malaysia has a displacement of 1,650t. CAE of Canada is to provide the Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) that will monitor and control propulsion, electrical and auxiliary systems.
The corvettes have one helicopter spot for a helicopter such as AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 or Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk. Initially, the vessels will be armed with an Oto Melara 76/62 Rapid medium range gun and an Oto Melara/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 Atlas Elektronik COSYS-110M1 with a TMEO electro-optic fire director from Oerlikon Contraves.
The main surveillance radar will be the TRS-3D/16 ES three-dimensional radar from EADS Deutschland. The vessels will also be equipped with MDS 3060 obstacle avoidance sonar and ALEX chaff/decoy launching system. Other systems have yet to be decided.
Can we say it is as good as our new FFG if not better?
Based on simple mathematics and numbers.
Missile boat vs missile boat
RMN RSN
Lekiu Class (F2000) Frigates Formidable Class frigates
KD Lekiu (30) RSS Formidable (6
KD Jebat (29) RSS Intrepid (69)
RSS Steadfast (70)
RSS Tenacious
RSS Stalwart
RSS Supreme
Kasturi Class (FS 1500) Frigate
KD Kasturi (25)
KD Lekir (26)
Laksamana Class Corvette Victory Class Corvette
KD Tun Abdul Jamil (135) RSS Victory (8
KD Mohammad Amin (136) RSS Valour (89)
KD Hang Nadim (134) RSS Vigilance (90)
KD Tan Pusmah (137) RSS Valiant (91)
RSS Vigour (92)
RSS Vengeance (93)
MEKO A-100 RMN Class Corvette
KD Pahang
KD Kedah
KD ?
KD ?
KD ?
KD ?
Handalan Class (Spica-M) Patrol Craft Sea Wolf Class Missile Gun Boat
KD Handalan P3511 RSS Sea Wolf (P76)
KD Perkasa P3512 RSS Sea Lion (P77)
KD Pendekar P3513 RSS Sea Dragon (P7
KD Gempita P3514 RSS Sea Tiger (P79)
RSS Sea Hawk (P80)
RSS Sea Scorpion (P81)
Perdana Class Patrol Craft
KD Perdana (3501)
KD Ganyang (3504)
KD Ganas (3503)
KD Serang (3502)
Total
22 vessels 18 vessel (6 due for decomm)
Missile count based on platform
80 missiles 108 missiles (-12 for 6 decom ships)
The other thing is their missile system is generally better than ours. In terms of range and performance. Otomat 2 have a range of 112nm compared to 100nm of Harpoon. (Both need OTHT using MPA and other ships or helo) And not forgetting the MM 38 and MM 40 both having a range of 26nm and 40nm respectively.
So count ourselves lucky that they have few theatres to take care (South China Sea, Straits of Malacca and waters around Sabah/Sarawak). which means at any one time, you would see them all. If not, we will have problem handling them if something happen.
So if one day they decided to go into the serious business. RSN might not have a chance. So if you think RSN had an easy life with our new frigates? think again.
With only 12 missile boat in RSN inventory. Guess we still have a long way to become a true blue water navy. We should be contented with being a No1 littoral Navy. (Not little Navy).
All these figues did not include the air force. Guess they will be pretty tied up with each other. I also did not include Anti-Ship Missile (ASM) carrying aircrafts, namely the F-16D, F50MPA and F/A 18. So hopefully with all these in, we can strike a balance. And of course, we also don't wish the day that we need to face each other will come. World Peace. -
SAF doesn't go for balance...it wanna stay ahead of others...
Heard of the phrase.."Above All??" -
RMN Lekiu class cannot be compared to RSN FFG.
Lekiu class is a light frigate with only 2nd generation sensors and weaponary similar to our MCV. The only difference between our MCV and Lekiu is that they can carry one helicopter to give a much better ASW capabilities. Then again, Lekiu is 1000 tons more than the MCV.
RSN FFG is using 3rd generation weaponary and sensors. Just the Aster and MFR have already given the FFG a capabilities that the Lekiu can only dream of.
Their Assad class and FS1500 are comparable with our MCV.
Their Meko 100 is the same as our OPV.
Speaking about RMN. They have a tendency to totally ignore equipment commonality and fleet commonality. Logistics wise, this is very unwise and totally against the conventional wisedom.
Final word. In real conflict, the C4I and EW system will have the final say as to who will win the war. -
We have OPV?!?Originally posted by oerlikon:Their Meko 100 is the same as our OPV.
U mean the PVs and APVs rite? -
Does anybody know whether the following (in bold) has any basis? These missiles are supersonic and a naval version has apparently been test-fired. If eventually sold to RMN, these missiles could possibly be mounted on either the Lekiu frigates or the Laksamana corvettes.
Brahmos Aerospace ties up with Rosoboronexport State Corp
Vinay Shukla Moscow, April 7 (PTI) Brahmos Aerospace, an Indo-Russian Joint Venture has tied up with Russia's Rosoboronexport State Corporation to globally market its new generation supersonic cruise missiles for naval and air platforms. The Plan on joint export promotion of BrahMos missile systems was inked by Andrey Beliyaninov - Director General of Rosoboronexport, Dr Herbert Yefremov - Director General of NPO Mashinostroyeniya and Dr A Sivathanu Pillai - CEO and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace. It visualises undertaking of joint marketing activities, aimed at promotion of 'BrahMos' missile systems of ship-born and air-born applications to foreign markets, Rosoboronexport said in a statement. Under an intergovernmental agreement signed in 1998, India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's premier nuclear missile designer and producer NPO Mashnistroyeniya floated the USD 250 Million joint venture in India, in which DRDO has 50.5 per cent equity. "There is a significant interest in the world in BrahMos cruise missiles and many countries have already made inquiries. However, the decision to sell them to a certain country has to be made jointly by the governments of India and Russia," Dr Pillai told PTI. Although Dr Pillai declined to identify the nations which could be possible buyers of BrahMos missiles, Russian expert Dr Alexander Vaskin believes that Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam could get these missiles as "friendly countries". BrahMos cruise missiles, which are to be inducted by the Indian navy beginning from next year, have been on display in several international arms exhibitions including in Sydney, Singapore and Abu Dhabi and every where potential buyers have been showing keen interest in them. "As of today and in a decade to come BrahMos has no match in the world in its class. It is a smart weapon system, you only need to feed the co-ordinates of the target, and it hits precisely overcoming enemy electronic counter-measures. It is a versatile tactical cruise missile of the range of 290 km and can be fired from ships, submarines, land-based mobile launchers, silos and aircraft," Dr Pillai said. The BrahMos supersonic missile capable of cruising at the altitude ranging from 10 metres to 10 kilometres flies to its target at the speed of Mach 2.8 - almost three times faster than sound, leaving no time for the adversary to react. According to Russian experts, BrahMos missile is three times faster than the highly publicised US Tomahawk cruise missile and two missiles are enough to sink an enemy aircraft carrier. (THROUGH ASIA PULSE)
[Press Trust of India]
http://www.gateway2russia.com/st/art_227427.php -
Brahmos, Basically a refined version of Russian SS-N-26
Even say RMN has imported this SSM, how could they settle the Midcourse Guidance matters? Su30MKM seems the only effect way to provide target pointing and info via datalink to Brahmos. and the FFG platform could be 2 small to settle the heavy missile -
For Lekiu Class, I would put them between our MCV and FFG. They are by all means more capable than our MCV, both weapon and sensor. And by the way, the Lynx onboard Lekiu does not used as ASW platform only. They can be used as radar pickets, OTHT and ESM platform. So just for detection range is much more further than our Sea giraffe onboard our MCV.Originally posted by oerlikon:RMN Lekiu class cannot be compared to RSN FFG.
Lekiu class is a light frigate with only 2nd generation sensors and weaponary similar to our MCV. The only difference between our MCV and Lekiu is that they can carry one helicopter to give a much better ASW capabilities. Then again, Lekiu is 1000 tons more than the MCV.
RSN FFG is using 3rd generation weaponary and sensors. Just the Aster and MFR have already given the FFG a capabilities that the Lekiu can only dream of.
Their Assad class and FS1500 are comparable with our MCV.
Their Meko 100 is the same as our OPV.
Speaking about RMN. They have a tendency to totally ignore equipment commonality and fleet commonality. Logistics wise, this is very unwise and totally against the conventional wisedom.
Final word. In real conflict, the C4I and EW system will have the final say as to who will win the war.
The Meko 100 is definitely much more cpapble than our PV, APV if you are refer to them. How can a MEKO compare with our PV/APV? They are missile armed for a start. The SAM is RAM, with proper Optics FCS ...Can our Mk1 eye ball targeting mistral better than that? What about the helo...can a PV/APV carry helo? Can, it will look like FPB-57 (SAR) of the TNI-AL.
FCR? The main surveillance radar will be the TRS-3D/16 ES three-dimensional radar from EADS Deutschland. Our PV/ APV?...Elta EL/M-2228(X) (E/F band).
C4I and EW. To be frank. We are not the leader in this area. We get our stuff from very limited supplier, whereas, our good friend can buy good stuff from the french and UK. Since a lot of our stuff are locally designed and prooduce, somehow the workmanship and the technology is not that advance. A lot of integration problem is expected. Everything look for the cheapest quote...How can.
Bottomline. We maybe spending a lot of money in defence, but the navy don't get the best. The Air Force did (Expensive stuff from the USA). Believe it or not, the RSN will have a tough fight if our neighbour put their act together. -
I think with our sub, RSN should be able to do the job. But I agree that RSN is the only service in SAF that does not have quantity or quality advantage over our neighbours.Originally posted by freeman8:For Lekiu Class, I would put them between our MCV and FFG. They are by all means more capable than our MCV, both weapon and sensor. And by the way, the Lynx onboard Lekiu does not used as ASW platform only. They can be used as radar pickets, OTHT and ESM platform. So just for detection range is much more further than our Sea giraffe onboard our MCV.
The Meko 100 is definitely much more cpapble than our PV, APV if you are refer to them. How can a MEKO compare with our PV/APV? They are missile armed for a start. The SAM is RAM, with proper Optics FCS ...Can our Mk1 eye ball targeting mistral better than that? What about the helo...can a PV/APV carry helo? Can, it will look like FPB-57 (SAR) of the TNI-AL.
FCR? The main surveillance radar will be the TRS-3D/16 ES three-dimensional radar from EADS Deutschland. Our PV/ APV?...Elta EL/M-2228(X) (E/F band).
C4I and EW. To be frank. We are not the leader in this area. We get our stuff from very limited supplier, whereas, our good friend can buy good stuff from the french and UK. Since a lot of our stuff are locally designed and prooduce, somehow the workmanship and the technology is not that advance. A lot of integration problem is expected. Everything look for the cheapest quote...How can.
Bottomline. We maybe spending a lot of money in defence, but the navy don't get the best. The Air Force did (Expensive stuff from the USA). Believe it or not, the RSN will have a tough fight if our neighbour put their act together.
I guess RSN should replace our current PVs with OPVs, then we can have a true blue water navy. -
RMN most threating vessel is the Laksamana Class Corvette!
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Its tough being the smallest service in the SAF. You get the smallest share of money. Its even more so now that the pie has to be shared with homeland security.
Therefore, with prority in funding going to airforce (for NFRP), it will be surprising to see new ships for RSN given our current defence spending.
BTW, I thought RMN only bought the basic MEKO100 without any missiles. They are supposed to be back fitted later on when their budget permits. -
err the formidable class are rather new ships . . . .Originally posted by oerlikon:Its tough being the smallest service in the SAF. You get the smallest share of money. Its even more so now that the pie has to be shared with homeland security.
Therefore, with prority in funding going to airforce (for NFRP), it will be surprising to see new ships for RSN given our current defence spending.
BTW, I thought RMN only bought the basic MEKO100 without any missiles. They are supposed to be back fitted later on when their budget permits. -
Yup, it is suppose to be gun armed only, , the best thing is cost RM900mil or USD236.8mil per unit!!!!Originally posted by oerlikon:BTW, I thought RMN only bought the basic MEKO100 without any missiles. They are supposed to be back fitted later on when their budget permits.
Even more expensive than our stealth FFG!!!
(corruption at the highest level)
But there is a recent news report that they might be armed with Exocet MM40 Block II, Sea wolf VLS ,A244 torpedoes, 76mm/30guns etc???
Or is the future plan???
You know Malaysia , lot of NATO!!!
Anyway, MY plan to secure a USD1bil loan using their reserve for UK weaponary, presumably at least 2 Lekui 2 FFG and maybe other, so MY is desperate, due to our 6 new stealth FFG perhaps??? -
eh...Our FFG are new.
I am referring to after the FFG. -
pls lor the ffg already cost them a billion . . . .you have to wait until the next budget proposal before they replace it. Plus the navy have aleready spent so much on the helis . . . .you will just have to wait and see.
