Two MD530G Helicopters to be Placed at Lahad Datu Base by April

The Defence Ministry has announced that two McDonnell Douglas (MD) helicopters will be based at the Lahad Datu Forward Operating Base by April.

Its minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the air defence asset was a light combat type helicopter used in security surveillance.

He added that the total assets to be kept at the base would be announced later but for a start, there would be the two helicopters.

"If we look at the MD helicopter, it is not the same as combat helicopters such as the Apache and Tiger but for now this asset is adequate for the threat we are facing in Sabah," he told reporters during his visit at the army Lok kawi camp here.

Also present were deputy chief minister Datuk Yahya Hussin, Army chief Tan Sri Zulkiple Kassim and Defence ministry Director-General Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Mohd Radzi.

Hishammuddin added that the ministry was looking at another four or five aircraft for patrolling purposes along the east coast of Sabah.

"The decision on the asset was made based on technical and financial aspects and the packages offered."

Meanwhile, Hishammudin said the Trilateral Maritime Patrol (TMP) between Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippines will continue to be strengthened.

He added that a visit involving armed forces from three countries will be held at Tarakan in Indonesia next month as the follow up from last visit in Tawi-Tawi Philippines.

"The navy from both countries has implemented seven Rendezvous (RV) at Sulu sea since TMP was launched last June. "

On other development, Hishammuddin asked the relevant industries to channel some of their profits for Corporate Social responsibility for the army and retired personnel.

LCS Gowind Frigate for Royal Malaysian Navy set for August 24th Launch

Malaysia Conducts Trials of 30 mm Naval Gun from First-of-Class NGPC

The Malaysian Coast Guard has conducted the first test firings of a newly installed SMASH 30 mm remote controlled stabilised naval gun system from its first-of-class New Generation Patrol Craft (NGPC), KM Bagan Datuk (4541).

The tests, which were conducted about 15 n miles west of Pulau Mentagor, off the coast of Perak, were conducted to validate the weapon's successful integration with systems on board the vessel.

These involved a single seaborne target that was set adrift from and subsequently fired upon by Bagan Datuk in single and burst modes of three rounds each. Present during the tests were engineers from Turkish defence company Aselsan, which is supplying the naval gun system to the coastguard. According to specifications provided by the company, the SMASH system is fitted with a 30 mm Mk 44 Bushmaster-II cannon that fires 200 rds/min.

Bagan Datuk is the first of six 44 m coastal patrol vessels ordered from Malaysian shipbuilder Destini Shipbuilding & Engineering under a MYR380 million (USD87 million) signed in 2015. The platform is derived from a design by Germany-based Fassmer Shipbuilding Company and will be the first vessels operated by the Malaysian Coast Guard to feature an organic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capability.

The 297-tonne platform features an overall length of 44.25 m, an overall beam of 7.7 m, and a design draught of 1.95 m. The vessel is powered by two 1,920 kW MTU engines, and has a top speed of 24 kt, and a standard range of 2,000 n miles at 12 kt.

Each NGPC can deploy the Thales Fulmar unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from a catapult-based launcher situated just behind the position of its primary weapon.

Malaysia Bolsters Submarine Rescue Capabilities with USN Certification

The privately owned Malaysian submarine rescue ship, MV Mega Bakti, has received certification from the US Navy (USN) as an approved commercial vessel of opportunity (VOO), and can now be deployed to rescue distressed submariners, a senior Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) confirmed on 17 January.

The certification, which was received in mid-2016 following a number of pre-screening processes by the USN, will further boost the submarine rescue capabilities in the region, said Rear Admiral Abdul Rahman Ayub, Submarine Force Commander of the RMN, on 17 January. He was speaking at the UDT Asia 2017 conference in Singapore.

Mega Bakti, which is owned by Malaysian company Target Resources, is currently contracted to provide submarine rescue services for the RMN.

Malaysia - DefTech employee killed during an accident with a AV8 Gempita

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2016&dt=0310&pub=Kosmo&sec=Terkini&pg=bt_22.htm

Saudi Arabia leads new 34-state Islamic military alliance against terrorism

Dear Malaysian readers , please advise/pressurize Najib against join this mad men alliance.

How can the Saudis, who have not bombed Islamic State in the last 4-6 months, suddenly come up with this "military alliance against terrorism" ?

This has nothing to do with fighting terrorism, this is nothing but an army to fight and die for the Saudi Kings in WW 3 in the middle east

Below is another snake charmer selling terrorism snake oil to the world.



via GIPHY




Jordan
UAE
Pakistan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Benin
Turkey
Chad
Togo
Tunisia
Somalia
Comoros
Cote d’Ivoire
Djibouti
Senegal
Sudan
Sierra Leone
Gabon
Guinea
Palestine
Qatar
Yemen
Mali
Mauritania
Malaysia
Niger
Morocco
Libya
Kuwait
Lebanon
Maldives
Egypt
Nigeria


http://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-announces-34-state-islamic-military-alliance-against-terrorism

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (Dec 15) announced the formation of a 34-state Islamic military coalition to combat terrorism, according to a joint statement published on state news agency SPA.

A long list of Arab countries such as Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, together with Islamic countries Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and Gulf Arab and African states were mentioned in the statement.

"The countries here mentioned have decided on the formation of a military alliance led by Saudi Arabia to fight terrorism, with a joint operations centre based in Riyadh to coordinate and support military operations," the statement said.The announcement cited "a duty to protect the Islamic nation from the evils of all terrorist groups and organisations whatever their sect and name which wreak death and corruption on earth and aim to terrorise the innocent."

Shi'ite Muslim Iran, Sunni Saudi Arabia's archrival for influence in the Arab world, was absent from the states named as participants, as proxy conflicts between the two regional powers rage from Syria to Yemen.

The United States has been increasingly outspoken about its view that Gulf Arab states should do more to aid the military campaign against the ultra-violent Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group.

In a rare press conference, 30-year-old Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman told reporters that the campaign would “coordinate” efforts to fight terrorism in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan, but offered few concrete indications of how military efforts might proceed.

“There will be international coordination with major powers and international organisations ... in terms of operations in Syria and Iraq. We can’t undertake these operations without coordinating with legitimacy in this place and the international community,” he said without elaborating.

Asked if the new alliance would focus just on ISIS, he said it would confront not only that group but “any terrorist organisation that appears in front of us.”

Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab neighbours have been locked in nine months of warfare with Iran-allied rebels in neighbouring Yemen, launching hundreds of air strikes there.

Especially after a rash of attacks on Western targets claimed by ISIS in recent months, the United States has increasingly said it thinks that firepower would better be used against ISIS.

As a ceasefire is set to take hold in Yemen on Tuesday alongside United Nations-backed peace talks, Riyadh’s announcement may signal a desire to shift its attention back toward the conflicts north of its borders.

ISIS has pledged to overthrow the monarchies of the Gulf and has mounted a series of attacks on Shi’ite Muslim mosques and security forces in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.


Did you forget who created the chaos in Libya ?

.@RandPaul Lindsey Graham and John McCain with their boy Marco Rubio in #Libya pic.twitter.com/z8kxvP8pQi

— IraqiSuryani (@IraqiSuryani1) December 14, 2015

The press conference was held at King Salman Air Base in Riyadh. pic.twitter.com/erP36CzrYJ

— محمد بن خالد (@saikhamk) December 15, 2015

U.S. Nuclear Powered SSGN Submarine Arrives In Malaysia

Malaysia will Purchase Eight MD-530G Helicopter

Malaysia is expected to sign for at least eight MD-530G light attack scout helicopter in late November. The helicopters to be operated jointly by the RMAF and the Army are expected to be deployed in ESSCOM once delivered.

Industry sources told Malaysian Defence, officials were working feverishly to ensure that the signing ceremony could be held in November when Malaysia is scheduled to host the East Asia summit.

However, if the agreement could not be worked out for the signing ceremony this November, the deal could be made official at the DSA 2016 exhibition next April.

Apart from the MD530G, Boeing AH-6i and ex-US Army Kiowa Warriors were also considered to fulfill the Light Scout Attack Helicopter requirement.

It is not known what type of weapons are to be procured for the Little Birds. According to MD Helicopters, the MH-530G could be fitted with a range of weapons systems from the Dillon Aero M134D minigun, the FN Herstal 50 caliber Heavy Machine Gune Pod or the Heavy Machine Rocket Gun Pod, the Talon guided rockets and the Hellfire ATGM. The helicopter could also be fitted with personnel carrying rig.

It is expected that the Little Bird version to be procured is the same as the example displayed at LIMA 2015 earlier this year.

Among others, the MD 530G displayed at LIMA featured the 650 shp Rolls Royce 250-C30 engine, longer main-rotor blades, high-capacity landing gear, the Moog Stores Management System (SMS), Harris Corporation’s RF-7850A-UA tactical radio and the Thales’ Scorpion helmet-mounted cueing system.

It also featured the Mace Aviation Extended Range Weapons Wing(ER2W), FN Herstal Machine Gun Pods and Rocket Machine Pods, Dillon Aero M134D-H Mini-Gun, the L-3 Wescam MX-10, and M260 rocket pod with TALON laser-guided rockets.

New Radars for Malaysian ESSCOM

AIRBUS Defence and Space Spexer 2000 Coastal AESA radar has been selected as part of a new Coastal Surveillance System (CSS) in the AOR of ESSCOM in eastern Sabah. The new radar will complement the current CSS 1206 radars, according to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today.

The CSS 1206 is of course the radar system which was given as grant by the United States in 2006. Hence it is designated the 1206. For more on the CSS 1206 go here.

The CSS 1206 radars have a range of 20km while the new Spexer radar range is up to 40km. However, Hishammuddin who released the details of the new radar in a press release, did not revealed when the new system will become operational.The new Spexer radars which will be funded by Petronas, according to Hishammuddin are part of the on-going programme to enhance the security of eastern Sabah following the 2013 Lahad Datu incursion.

According to Airbus, the SPEXER radars are the first operational land-based surveillance radars worldwide using Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology as well as innovative Digital Beam Forming (DBF) technology benefiting from our experience gained in the military sector.

As for the Spexer 2000 Coastal, the company stated that the high-performance coastal surveillance radar for the automatic detection, classification and tracking of sea, ground and low-flying air targets up to 40 km (24.9 mi; 21.6 NM) – even under extreme climatic conditions. Developed for the specific requirements of security scenarios with asymmetric threats.Detection Ranges:

Swimmer (0.1 m² RCS): 1 km (0.5 NM)
Small boat, rubber dinghy, jet ski (1.5 m² RCS): 20 km (10.8 NM)
Pedestrian (0.5 m² RCS): 18 km (11.2 mi)
Light vehicle (2.0 m² RCS): 22 km (13.7 mi)
Truck (10.0 m² RCS): 36 km (22.4 mi)
Vessel, large boat (100 m² RCS): 40 km (21.6 NM)
Light aircraft (3.0 m² RCS): 27 km (16.8 mi)
Low-level helicopter (5.0 m² RCS): 36 km (22.4 mi)
UAV (0.2 m² RCS): 9 km (5.6 mi)

Among the others items being funded by Petronas for the ESSCOm – which was created following the incursion – are two sea bases. One of the sea bases is a decommissioned oil rig designated as Pengkalan Laut Tun Sharifah Rodziah and Pengkalan Laut Tun Azizan, a converted former cargo ship. Hishammuddin visited the Tun Sharifah Rodziah today.

Both sea bases have been operational since May. They served as the forward operational bases for units involved in operations to prevent incursions from southern Philippines, from smugglers to terrorists.

Malaysian Army Chief Bullish on AV8 Deliveries

The head of the Malaysian Army expects deliveries of the IFV-25 variant of the AV8 Gempita armoured fighting vehicle to be completed by either the end of 2015 or in early 2016. (photo : FNSS)

The Malaysian Army expects deliveries of the IFV-25 variant of the AV8 Gempita armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) to be completed by either the end of 2015 or in early 2016, according to Malaysian Army Chief General Raja Mohamed Affandi Raja Mohamed Noor.

Gen Raja Affandi told IHS Jane's that the delivery completion date would depend on the finances available due to payment being made as each vehicle is delivered by manufacturer Deftech.

He said the programme was still within the army's planned schedule for deliveries of the AV-8 and AFV-30 variant and would start once all IFV-25s had been delivered.

The IFV-25 variant is fitted with a one-person FNSS Sharpshooter turret armed with a stabilised ATK Armament Systems M242 25 mm dual-feed cannon and an FN MAG 58M 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun (MG). Of the 257 vehicle order of 12 variants, 46 vehicles will be in this configuration.

The AFV-30 variant - of which 68 have been ordered - mounts a Denel Land Systems (DLS) two-person LCT-30 turret with a DLS stabilised 30 mm GI-30 external dual-feed linkless cannon and an FN MAG 58M MG.

Of the remaining 10 variants, the most significant number is the anti-tank version - of which 54 have been ordered - with a Denel LCT turret fitted with the GI-30 and two Denel Dynamics Ingwe laser-guided missiles either side.

Gen Raja Affandi also said that some minor changes within the AV8 have been requested as a result of experience with the vehicles already delivered and in service but that these did not affect the production schedule.

Aselsan has Exported 30mm RWS to Malaysia

Aselsan has exported the first weapon system to Malaysia

Aselsan made its first arms system export to Southeast Asia. According to the company statement, under an agreement signed with a company resident in Malaysia, 30 mm MUHAFIZ/SMASH Remote Controlled Stabilized Naval Gun System will be integrated into the 44-meter boat belonging to the Malaysian Armed Forces.Currently, the Turkish Naval Forces Command, Coast Guard Command, Land Forces and Police Headquarters is located ASELSAN Remote Controlled Weapon Systems in its inventory, it was preferred by Turkey as well as 10 country’s Armed Forces.


These agreements, its importance in terms of being the first weapon system exports to Southeast Asia which carried by ASELSAN.

Boustead DCNS Naval Corporation (BDNC) at LIMA 2015 Exhibition, Malaysia

Aircraft and Ships start arriving for Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition

Indian Navy

Indian navy arrived at LIMA pic.twitter.com/gWZNgAzO6M
— LIMA'15 (@LIMAExhibitions) March 11, 2015

Chinese acrobatic team arrives

Rafale

Pesawat udara Rafale telah mendarat di LIMA'15 malam tadi. pic.twitter.com/oUbK8shJVQ
— LIMA'15 (@LIMAExhibitions) March 12, 2015

A400M

Gagah! Pesawat A400M France Air Force pic.twitter.com/RGpPCzaEC3
— LIMA'15 (@LIMAExhibitions) March 11, 2015

Malaysian navy ship KD Perantau sinking at Lumut base

Photo - The Star/ANN

A Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) vessel has taken in a lot of water and is listing heavily to port in the Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) docks at the naval base here.A navy spokesperson said KD Perantau, a hydrographic vessel, was undergoing refitting maintenance at dock when it became flooded on Tuesday at about 11.15pm.

"Efforts are being conducted to rescue the vessel from sinking."There have been no lives loss or reported injuries during the incident," he said Wednesday.The KD Perantau was built at Limbungan Hong Leong-Lursen in Penang, which was commissioned on Oct 12 in 1998.

The vessel was handed over to Limbungan Boustead for the maintenance works on Nov 10 and was expected to be handed back over to the Navy on Aug 10 next year.The spokesman said that all equipment on board of the vessel, including its motor, pumps and navigation equipment had been taken off the ship before the incident occurred.

"This is the procedure whenever a ship is undergoing refitting works."A board of inquiry will be set up to identify the cause of the incident," he added

Malaysia Targeting 2019 in-Service Date for Littoral Combat Ship

The RMN is targeting an operational entry date of 2019 for the first-of-class SGPV-LCS, according to its chief. The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is targeting an operational entry date of 2019 for the first-of-class Second Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship (SGPV-LCS), according to its chief, Admiral Aziz Jaafar.Adm Aziz told IHS Jane's on 3 October that the RMN's current planning schedule calls for sea trials of the first ship to be carried out in 2018 and operational entry in 2019. Construction of the first of the six-ship LCS class has started at the Boustead Heavy Industry Corporation (BHIC) shipyard facilities in Lumut, with a 2017-18 delivery date and the remaining five ships delivered at six-month intervals thereafter.

BHIC is building the 3,000-tonne SGPV-LCS in partnership with DCNS, whose Gowind corvette design is being used as the basis for the vessel.Most key equipments for the new class have now been confirmed. These include the DCNS SETIS combat management system, the Thales Nederland SMART-S Mk 2 3-D multibeam radar, Rheinmetall's TMEO Mk 2 TMX/EO radar/electro-optical tracking and fire control system, and the Thales Captas-2 low-frequency variable depth sonar.
Weapon systems include a BAE Systems 57 mm Mk 3 medium-calibre dual-purpose gun (in a stealth cupola), two MSI-Defence Seahawk single 30 mm guns, and two J+S Marine triple torpedo tube launchers (although no announcement has been made as to what torpedoes will be used). No contracts have yet been placed for the point defence missile system and surface-to-surface guided weapon system; however, MBDA's VL MICA and MM40 Block 3 Exocet missiles are thought to be in prime position.


Adm Aziz also said that the RMN auxiliary vessel Bunga Mas 5 , currently being leased from Malaysian International Shipping Corp and operating as a mobile sea base in East Malaysia, will soon have its ownership transferred to the RMN where it will be commissioned into service.
Adm Aziz added that the RMN had hoped to also have Bunga Mas 5 's sister ship, Bunga Mas 6 , transferred but was unable to obtain it as Bunga Mas 6 was required by MISC to serve as a training platform for the MISC-owned Malaysian Maritime Academy.Bunga Mas 5 and Bunga Mas 6 were leased to the Malaysian government in 2009 and 2011, respectively, for use as navy auxiliary ships tasked with conducting anti-piracy escort missions off the Gulf of Aden: a mission that ended earlier in 2014. Bunga Mas 6 was subsequently used in the search operations for the missing MH370 airliner, deploying to Australia in April before returning to Malaysia in August. Bunga Mas 5 has been employed as a mobile seabase off the East Coast of Sabah as part of security operations to prevent cross-border kidnappings from armed groups in the Philippines.

Adm Aziz said the RMN would soon increase its capabilities in operations there with nine surplus US Navy Mark 5 Special Operations Boats along with the purchase of a number of locally built fast boats.

RM 27.6 Billion Allocated To Beef Up National Security

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced a RM27.6 billion allocation to beef up National security, increase the level of safety and public order when tabling the 2015 Budget in Dewan Rakyat Friday.Najib who is also the Finance Minister said to increase the level of safety and public order as well as national security, RM17.7 billion would be allocated to the Armed Forces, RM9.1 billion to Police and RM804 million to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).In efforts to reduce crime rate in the country, the government will increase the intake of policemen by 11,757 personnel, build 14 police headquarters and police stations including a new block for the Perlis police contingent.

To strengthen the presence of police and patrolling, Najib said 1,000 units of motorcycles would be purchased while an allocation of RM121 million is provided for police to implement various programmes under the National Key Result Areas.The Prime Minister said to increase the readiness of the Armed Forces personnel and assets, RM7 billion will be allocated to purchase and maintain defence assets as well as to improve the welfare of armed forces personnel, including health services and housing.To improve maritime safety, the MMEA will be allocated RM393 million to improve the operational efficiency and the purchase of seven new patrol vessels, said Najib.

He said RELA, under the Home Ministry will continue to be a voluntary agency to assist the security forces to maintain peace and security of the nation, a sum of RM117 million will be allocated for training and capacity building.

Royal Malaysian Navy Releases First Official Image of its LCS-SGPV Corvette

Photo - Royal Malaysian Navy

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) unveiled for the first time an official rendering of its future Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) - Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV). The vessel is based on DCNS' Gowind Combat corvette design. DCNS is the warship design authority while local shipyard Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn will be in charge of buidling the vessels locally.

The RMN's LCS will have a length of 111 meters and a displacement of 3,100 tons. The 6 vessels will be fitted with 57mm Mark 3 main guns with stealth cupola from BAE Systems Bofors. It was confirmed to us during LIMA 2013 that the combat management system will be the SETIS by DCNS, the Fire Control Systems will be provided by Rheinmetall, and the engines will be provided by MTU. There will be two 30mm remote weapon stations by MSI. Thales announced ealier this year that it has signed a Letter of Award with Contraves Advanced Devices Sdn. Bhd. to supply six SMART-S Mk2 naval surveillance radar systems, as well as six CAPTAS-2 towed sonar systems for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV) Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

New Interceptor Crafts For The Malaysian Navy

The BM5 In Port Klang In June 2014

The Royal Malaysian Navy has recently announced that they have acquired new high speed interceptor boats that will operate out of the Bunga Mas 5 (BM5) that will act as the mother ship in her role to protect the Sabah east coast against potential threats.

The BM5 which will serve as a forward sea base equipped with high-speed interceptor boats, radar surveillance and helicopters. The three interceptor combat boats (CB90) will be used together with the rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) that are currently being used by the navy’s elite sea commando unit (Paskal) and two new boats that were recently acquired by the navy – the Silver Brize and P38 craft.“The Bunga Mas 5 is the right choice to be placed in the area as it has a surveillance radar system and is equipped with helicopters to carry out night operations over long distances,” said navy chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar.

The P38 craft seems to have been purchased from UES Marine, a division of United Engineering Services LLC, Oman. Their Signature Interceptor Vessel the P-38, these UES interceptor boats can be tailor made as per the customers' requirements. The P38 is a high performance interceptor craft designed for interdiction of hostile vessels in coastal and offshore waters. It is an open boat well-suited for boarding, beaching and interdiction operations. It features advanced deep V step design hull which is 3D infused with advanced composite materials in epoxy resin for optimum power to weight ratio and maximum strength. The hull form and design affords maximum comfort for this type of craft allowing the crew to operate effectively with minimum fatigue. The P38 is designed to accommodate up to 12 crew and is equipped for missions of 12 to 24 hours.

Modernization of Malaysian Navy

Samudera class training vessel (photo : Malaysian Defence)

Kongsberg NSM, anti-ship missile with operasional range 185 km (photo : Lukasz Pacholski)

Laksamana class corvettes will be refitted as FAC-G

DCNS has offered a downsized variant of ‘Mistral’ class to replace KD Sri Inderapura (photo : Malaysian Defence)Malaysia’s physical geography, divided between a peninsular and the island of Borneo, creates a unique set of defence challenges for the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) that is armed with a disparate range of weapons. Yet recent events have reminded the country of the need to modernise its equipment.
Malaysia’s proposed 2014 core defence budget has increased by six percent to $5.1 billion. However, just $868 million of this will go towards new equipment, despite current security threats.

The Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) biggest acquisition programme revolves around six Second-Generation Patrol Vessel-Littoral Combat Ships (SGPV-LCS) to be built by Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) located in Lumut, Perak. Based on its ‘Gowind’ class design, DCNS shipbuilders of France is providing technical assistance to Boustead for the project. The SGPV-LCS follows on from the ‘Kedah’ class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) used by the RMN, but the design is bigger and better armed. The corvette’s armament is expected to include the MBDA Mica surface-to-air missile (SAM), Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missile, two torpedo launchers, BAE Systems Bofors Mk3 57 millimetre (two-inch) guns and two 30mm MSI Defence cannons. The ships will feature Thales Smart-S Mk2 radar and CAPTAS-2 towed-array sonar. Construction should start this year, and delivery of the first example is slated for 2018.These vessels are desperately needed as the navy is suffering under a high operational tempo that is apparently affecting morale. A limited number of hulls make it difficult to meet all obligations. One such task is Operation Fajar, the anti-piracy escort mission in the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea for Malaysian-flagged cargo ships. Ongoing since 2008, the government recently renewed this commitment until at least June 2014. Because of a lack of suitable vessels, the RMN acquired two converted container ships (MT Bunga Mas 5 and MT Bunga Mas 6 in 2008 and 2011 respectively) to support Operation Fajar.

In other construction news, Selangor-based NGV Tech has built two 76-metre (249-feet)-long ‘Samudera’ class training vessels for the RMN. The local shipbuilder collaborated with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) of the Republic of Korea (RoK) in their technical development. The second vessel was launched in February 2013 as part of the $96.1 million contract signed in 2011, and it should commission by the middle of 2014. The navy chief has called for the procurement of two more armed ships based on this type to help overcome a platform shortfall, but no movement has occurred to date.The earlier ‘Kedah’ class Next Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) programme delivered six vessels based on the Blohm and Voss ‘Meko-A100’ class OPV design. From the third NGPV onwards the ships were constructed locally, but the lightly-armed fleet could be upgraded with anti-ship missiles in the future. There is also speculation that the RMN has a preference for Kongsberg Naval Strike Missiles (NSM).

Two ‘Kasturi’ class frigates are undergoing a Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) to enable 15 more years of service. KD Kasturi rejoined the fleet in January 2014, and her sister is now undergoing a SLEP at the hands of BNS; she should begin sea trials by late 2014. The SLEP overhauls the engines, replaces the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and an Atlas Elektronik DSQS-24C hull-mounted sonar is fitted. The frigates now have eight Exocet MM40 Block 2 missile launchers, two EuroTorp AS244 torpedo launchers, a Bofors 57mm Mk1 gun and two MSI Defence 30mm cannons. Thales’ TACTICOS is the ships’ new combat management system.In further refurbishment work, four ‘Laksamana’ class corvettes will be refitted and re-designated as Fast Attack Craft (Gun). Their outdated missile systems have been retired, their torpedo launchers removed, and they will rely on 76mm (three-inch) and 40mm guns as their armament.

Malaysia obtained two DCNS ‘Scorpene’ class submarines in 2009, though their upkeep continues to drain money from the RMN budget. These 1,550-tonne submarines based at Sepanggar in East Malaysia are equipped with Exocet SM39 Block 2 missiles and Whitehead Black Shark torpedoes.

Since 2008 Malaysia has had a requirement for a large-displacement Multipurpose Support Ship (MPSS) for peacekeeping and humanitarian-assistance duties. This need became more acute in 2009 when the navy’s solitary amphibious-warfare ship (KD Sri Inderapura) was engulfed by fire. France has offered an amphibious support ship based on a downsized variant of DCNS’s ‘Mistral’ class design while the RoK is offering a smaller version of the ‘Dokdo’ class amphibious support vessel. The USA has also proffered the USS Denver ‘Austin’ class amphibious support ship as a hot transfer once she decommissions in 2014. The MPSS project has been deferred indefinitely but it may be reinstated in the Eleventh Malaysia Plan (11MP) governmental spending programme in the 2016-20 timeframe.

The Sabah confrontation demonstrated the RMN’s need to boost its asymmetric capabilities. Consequently, it is deploying locally built fast interceptor craft to East Malaysia. The RMN has three regional naval commands, but a fourth will be added at the planned Bintulu naval base in Sarawak, according to the RMN chief. “It will be a major effort there and we are currently in discussion with both the federal and state government there as to the size and development of the base and its facilities,” said ADM Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar. Bintulu will be the closest facility to the James Shoal.

http://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/preparing-tomorrow-malaysias-armed-forces/

Latest Design of Malaysian Gowind Unfolds

That is what will look like future corvettes Gowind kind ordered by Malaysia. Even if the communication around this contract remains very discreet, we know more about these progressively buildings, designed by DCNS and will be made for transfer of technology by the Malaysian construction Boustead Naval Shipyard. In its annual report, DCNS has thus released very recently for the design chosen by Malaysians who expect delivery seeded in 2017.

Stealth 57mm turret and single mast.
Outside the lines, more refined images that have so far circulated several things to notice. First, the buildings will not have a 76mm turret, but an electric gun 57mm Bofors in stealth fairing, like the turret fitted to the Swedish Visby corvettes kind. Always armaments, video shows on the back what appears to be two remotely operated 30mm cannon of the British type DS-30. In addition, the Malaysian Gowind will be well equipped with a single mast, radar SMART-S Thales chosen Kuala Lumpur is therefore placed under the cone composite materials developed by DCNS and board for the first time on patrol L'Adroit .

Still no official decision on missiles
Also in the field of electronics, we know that the corvettes will be equipped with a towed sonar Captas 2, supplied by Thales, a fire control TMX EO (for 57mm) and a fire control TMEO (for 30mm) designed by Rheinmetall. While the combat system will be delivered by DCNS, based on his new team SETIS that the multi-mission frigates (FREMM), it would seem logical that the Exocet anti-ship missiles are MM40 and surface-to-air missiles VL Mica, designed by MBDA. No official decision has, however, been taken to date on the choice of these weapons. The same goes for the torpedo.

For the record, Gowind Combat measure in its model base 102 meters long and 16 meters wide and shows a displacement of 2400 tons burden. Able to exceed the speed of 26 knots, with a range of 3,000 miles 15 knots, it can be implemented by 65 crew members, with the building of housing for 25 additional people, such as special forces. They can use the onboard helicopter (platform for a machine shed and 10 tonnes for a camera of 5 tons) and semi-rigid boats.


http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/la-future-gowind-malaisienne-se-devoile