ISTANBUL, May 25 — Malaysia is on track to receive three Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) being built in Turkiye by the end of next year, boosting the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) operational readiness in safeguarding national maritime sovereignty.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said construction has progressed on schedule since the contract was signed in June 2024.
He said the naming and launching of the first LMSB2 took place at the Istanbul Shipyard here yesterday, while the second and third vessels are scheduled for launch in June and August this year, respectively.
“We are grateful that construction has proceeded without any challenges or complications, especially when compared to the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project, which unfortunately faced lengthy delays. These LMSB2 vessels are critical for the nation.
“Our national defence blueprint outlines a requirement for 18 such vessels. We currently have four, and once these three Turkish-built ships are completed, our fleet will grow to seven. We need to build another 11 to fully meet our requirements as a maritime nation,” he told Bernama at the launch ceremony yesterday.
The first LMSB2, named Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil, was officially named and launched by Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia.
Mohamed Khaled said that the naming and launching ceremony is a naval tradition that marks the completion of the hull structure before a vessel enters sea-trial phases.
He added that while the LMS differs from the premier LCS by serving as a second-line asset, it still retains robust weapon systems to support RMN operations.
Moving forward, he said the government plans to expand technology transfer initiatives to enable local shipbuilders to construct future vessel batches domestically.
“When we procure the third batch, we may execute construction in Malaysia … Insya-Allah, during this visit, I met with several Turkish companies involved in supplying components for these ships.
“Some have already identified local partners for technology transfer and collaboration to develop Malaysia’s capabilities in manufacturing-related naval components,” he said, adding that the procurement of the three LMSB2 vessels carries a total contract value of 536.5 million euros (RM2.5 billion).
Commenting on the choice of name for the first LMSB2 vessel, Mohamed Khaled said Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil was chosen to honour the late Johor prince’s resilient spirit in his battle against cancer.
“As we know, Tunku Abdul Jalil was a prince who fought cancer with immense courage and fortitude. Drawing from that spirit of resilience, the RMN deemed it fitting to name the vessel Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil, with the consent of His Majesty, the King of Malaysia, as the Supreme Commander of the Malaysian Armed Forces,” he said. — Bernama