Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) update

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
The Keris-class littoral mission ship (LMS) is a class of patrol vessels being built in China by China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Ltd (CSIC) with a length of 69 meters, a beam of 9.2 meters and a displacement of 710 tons. Their maximum speed is 22 knots, their range 2,000 nautical miles with an endurance of 15 days at sea. They will have a crew complement of 45. The LMS is a new class that will join the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Fleet under the 15to5 Fleet Transformation Program. Malaysia signed a contract for four LMS vessels with CSIC in April 2017. The RMN will receive comprehensive training as well (as part of the contract). The RMN has named its second littoral mission ship (LMS), Sundang at the ship's launching and naming ceremony in Wuhan, China (See: RMN's second littoral mission ship named Sundang).
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Remarkable that Malaysia after the Kedah-class (MEKO 100) OPVs and Gowind 2500 frigates programmes still orders low-tech chinese patrol vessels. I am sure Malaysia has now enough knowledge and experience to build patrol vessels by their own.
 

OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
The Keris-class littoral mission ship (LMS) is a class of patrol vessels being built in China by China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Ltd (CSIC) with a length of 69 meters, a beam of 9.2 meters and a displacement of 710 tons. Their maximum speed is 22 knots, their range 2,000 nautical miles with an endurance of 15 days at sea. They will have a crew complement of 45. The LMS is a new class that will join the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Fleet under the 15to5 Fleet Transformation Program. Malaysia signed a contract for four LMS vessels with CSIC in April 2017. The RMN will receive comprehensive training as well (as part of the contract). The RMN has named its second littoral mission ship (LMS), Sundang at the ship's launching and naming ceremony in Wuhan, China (See: RMN's second littoral mission ship named Sundang).
KD Keris RMN’s first LMS was welcomed home at the Sepanggar naval base on 17 Jan 2020. The indefatigable Beijing probably couldn't rest until it sufficiently roughed up its South China Sea co-claimants, including Malaysia and Indonesia. Whatever reason behind these coercive acts, poking others in such a crucial year is not a smart way to garner goodwill and cooperation. It will be delicious irony if Malaysia’s China built LMS is used to monitor/chase away China’s navy or coast guard ships. See: Welcome Home Keris - Malaysian Defence
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
KD Keris RMN’s first LMS was welcomed home at the Sepanggar naval base on 17 Jan 2020. The indefatigable Beijing probably couldn't rest until it sufficiently roughed up its South China Sea co-claimants, including Malaysia and Indonesia. Whatever reason behind these coercive acts, poking others in such a crucial year is not a smart way to garner goodwill and cooperation. It will be delicious irony if Malaysia’s China built LMS is used to monitor/chase away China’s navy or coast guard ships. See: Welcome Home Keris - Malaysian Defence
With a range of 6000 nm and an endurance of 21 days, the much heavier armed Kedah Class (MEKO 100) is way better capable to chase away chinese illegal fishing boats and chinese coast guard ships, than these 69 meter long Keris class armed with only a 30 mm gun and with a range of only 2000 nm and an endurance of 15 days.
 
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OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
With a range of nm and an endurance of 21 days, the much heavier armed Kedah Class (MEKO 100) is way better capable to chase away chinese illegal fishing boats and chinese coast guard ships, than these 69 meter long Keris class armed with only a 30 mm gun and with a range of only 2000 nm and an endurance of 15 days.
While you rightly point out the difference in the two classes of ships, the Malaysian Navy will have to use both classes to conduct patrols — as an example, it was reported that 1 named Malaysian navy ship was out on patrol in the South China Sea for 250+ days, a year, in an attempt to watch Chinese intrusions in these waters — which leaves too little time for maintenance and training.

Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels spent 70% of the past year patrolling in a tract of the South China Sea claimed by Malaysia, an American think tank says. Unlike the recent Indonesian response to CCG intrusions, Malaysia have traditionally done little to push back. The coast guard presence, especially long-term for a Chinese mission in the widely disputed South China Sea, followed by Malaysia’s muted response gives China an ever-stronger upper hand. The mission to Luconia Shoals appears aimed at proving China’s heft over Malaysia and at locking in Chinese claims to about 90% of the sea, scholars say. Malaysia is the most active developer of undersea oil and gas among the governments with claims in the 3.5 million-square-kilometer waterway, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data. At least one CCG vessel was broadcasting from Luconia Shoals on 258 of the past 365 days, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative under U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies said in a report 26 Sep 2019. Most of the shoals are under water, but a reef called Luconia Breakers may include a small sandbar that protrudes above water at high tide, the think tank initiative says. China started patrolling around Luconia Shoals in 2013, according to the report.

In related news, on 12 Dec 2019, Malaysia formally filed a submission seeking clarity on the limits of its continental shelf beyond the 322 kilometre (200 nautical miles) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the disputed body of water claimed by several countries in the Southeast Asian region. The move has angered China, which claims "historic rights" over all of South China Sea. IMHO, not enough hulls in the water to provide security for their EEZ patrols by all Malaysian maritime agencies and their navy — not just to guard against intruding foreign fishing boats but also to prevent Philippine militants to cross over and kidnap for ransom Malaysians, in Malaysian waters.

The CCG has bigger ships and resupply bases in the South China Sea to maintain 24/7 watch over each and every Malaysian naval vessel they send on patrol. They are hopelessly out numbered and over matched, if the PLA(N) is factored in. A major strategic achievement of President Xi has been his ability to learn how to push the boundaries to the limit without fatally overstepping. China’s management of the South Luconia Shoals incident with Malaysia is a case in point. In September 2013, a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel dropped anchor in the Malaysian-claimed shoals, sparking hearings in Malaysia’s parliament and extensive complaints from government officials. The CCG finally withdrew the vessel in November 2015, just before Malaysia hosted the ASEAN and East Asia Summits. This adroit timing prevented the issue from becoming a central feature of public discourse during the high-profile summits, which could have led to significant momentum being garnered against China. The salient Chinese achievement was that CCG vessels returned to the shoals almost immediately after the summits.

In this regard, I wish the Malaysians good luck and they will have to stand alone to enforce their own EEZ claims.
 
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OPSSG

Super Moderator
Staff member
Its a great project and the RMN needs urgently more advanced modern frigates, but sadly the program goes less smoothly than planned.

They should just buy a Singapore designed light frigate or pay ST Marine to finish the LCS project for them — that way, at least, the decisions will be made on technical merit.
The enemy of Malaysian Navy is not the Singapore Navy— their internal enemies are far more effective at killing their 15 to 5 capability development plans.

Just joking :)
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The Spica-M are capable fast attack crafts/missile boats, but indeed after 40 years replacement is needed.

Well OPSSG.....
Im sure that Singapore still have enough retired Fearless-class patrol boats for sale for Malaysia.

Btw, is the max speed really just around 20 kts?
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
The Maharaja Lela frigate project of the Gowind design, started in a good way, directly 6 ships in the package. Sadly for the RMN, the project is so much delayed because of mismangement.
 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
Malaysian MinDef should tell Boustead to do the job partial modules first with Naval Group. Instead to build all modules domestic from first ships. Malaysian Defense blog and media seems now fill with that kind of thinking.

Even in Malaysian Government now thinking to let Naval Group to take over the job. Maharaja Lela actually an evolve Gowind design. It should be done step by step just like PAL done with Damen on PKR project.

When you take project with certain Tech Transfer, The way I see it all yards doing in partially, step by step. Especially if the local yards has no experience doing work on the design scope before.
I don't know if this is due to too much confidence on Boustead or something else.

Even PAL on this Iver based Frigate project now still in discussion with Odense, whether to build all modules within PAL facilities, or doing some partial modules being build in Europe and then final assembly in PAL. Rumours saying that Odense and PAL have discussion with Babcock that build Type 31 as both project are Iver design based.

I don't know the outcome, but clearly Indonesian MinDef need certain guarantee from PAL, if they are able to build all modules domestically, at least for the first ship.

Malaysian MinDef should do the same thing with Boustead. Clearly some miss management by Boustead in fault on this case. However I do not know if this is all Boustead fault.
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
So this is actually a follow up program of the four chinese-made Keris class Littoral Mission Ships.


Well, maybe it can be regarded as a part 3 of the MEKO 100 Kedah-class OPV. Hopefully the project will go smoother than the Kedah class.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
In my opinion its quite a weird project. Ordering some lowtech patrolvessels from the country who demands 90% of the Spratly Sea (including Malaysia's EEZ and islands) and 0% workshare for Malaysians shipyards.

 

Ananda

The Bunker Group
I guess this's the results with what happened to Boustead debacle. Most of TLDM domestic project done by Boustead. Also from my understanding the financing of this four LMS done through China fund. Thus I suspect the combination of those two situation results on this project.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
No. It was not funded via the “China fund”.

The initial plan was to have them fully fitted out but the political situation has changed. As it stands there is zero intent on acquiring more of the same design.The decision to acquire the initial 4 was a political one.
 
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Ananda

The Bunker Group
Thanks for the correction. I got that info from some chatter that I read in Malaysian Forum. Guess this's all back to Political decision, and not TLDM own need.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
The RMN has a pressing need for new hulls to replace certain ships which are overdue for replacement; getting increasingly maintenance intensive due to age. The Chinese ships were ordered because it was politically convenient from the govermet’s perspective and because it was all that could be afforded in line with the allocated budget. The RMN had no say in the matter - either these ships or nothing at all.

The issue is that for the price paid: ships should have been better equipped. The tricky part is the integration/certification needed if Western modular payloads are added. The plus point is that these are better suited (range, endurance and sea sea keeping) compared to the FACs they are intended to replace; when it comes to routine patrols in the EEZ.

On the 5/15 it was a plan based on the premise that sufficient funds would not be available indefinitely. It was a politically correct PR exercise and a minimum worst case scenario so to speak. It was also intended to reduce the RMN’s support/logistics footprint but from the start nobody expected that the plan (in terms of the detailed force structure) wouldn’t evolve or undergo change due to changing politics, threat perceptions and other factors.
 

Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the correction. I got that info from some chatter that I read in Malaysian Forum. Guess this's all back to Political decision, and not TLDM own need.
Yes, its seems to be completely funded by Malaysia around $68.000.000 for each ship. Until now the ships are only armed with the chinese H/PJ-17 30 mm gun at the bow and two machine guns. The first of class (KD Keris 111) is based in Sabah, probably to protect Pulau Layang-Layang, Terumbu Mantanani and Terumbu Ubi, but i dont know about the other ships.
Here a closer look at the first of class.

Here some photos of the third ship.
 
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Sandhi Yudha

Well-Known Member
I don t know about the quality of chinese naval vessels, but they build warships at an amazing speed.
Much faster than the construction of the Gowind class frigates.


Edit:
"According to Janes, LMS type vessels have issues with their combat system, the RMN having compiled a list of deficiencies that were observed while operating the first in-class-ship."
Lets hope for the RMN that these problems will be solved quickly by the chinese.
 

STURM

Well-Known Member
The quality totally depends on the customer. If the customer specifies a higher grade of steel; high DC standards and other things and willing to pay for it: Chinese yards can deliver.

As it stands the main issue for sone potential buyers is not the issue of build quality but integration/certifications with regards to non Chinese kit.

The RMN experienced technical issues with the LMS but it wasn’t anything major and was during a period when the yard was obligated - per the contract - to solve whatever issues were encountered.
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