Handover of RMN First Littoral Combat Ship Postponed

01 November 2018

The KD Maharaja Lela being launched at Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Berhad (BHIC) Lumut shipyard in Perak on Aug 24, 2017. (photo : RMN)

LUMUT: The handover of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN)'s first littoral combat ship (LCS) KD Maharaja Lela that was initially scheduled for next year, has now been postponed to a later date.

This was due to its builder the Boustead Naval Shipyard, a subsidiary company of Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Berhad (BHIC), was still waiting for an important component from a company in the United States to enhance the ship's performance.

BHIC managing director Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor said the component was expected to arrive by end of next year.

"Following this development, KD Maharaja Lela would not be involved in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2019 (LIMA 2019) exhibition, scheduled for March next year," he said.

A close up of Maharaja Lela at the Boustead yard in Lumut today. She is still missing her mast and other items. She is likely rusty after undergoing limited harbour trials. (photo : Malaysian Defence)

"The system that controls the engines and generators supplied by other company is already in place but we want to enhance it and this has caused the delay and we will ensure that it will run smoothly," he said this in a news conference after the keel laying ceremony of the 4th LCS officiated by Deputy Defence Minister Senator Liew Chin Tong at BNS dockyard here today.

He said the delay was normal as KD Maharaja Lela was the RMN first LCS of frigate class and there were various improvements needed.

"When we deliver this ship, it is not just the physical ship but its entire system and we have to keep experimenting for a long time, sometimes of up to one year," he said.

The KD Maharaja Lela is among the six coastal combat ships fully built by BNS in RM9 billion project to be delivered in stages to RMN with the final delivery of the sixth LCS scheduled for 2023.

All six LCS ships have four dimensions combat capacity, with the durability to overcome electronic, surface, submersible and air threats, and possesses the latest in combat management systems and capable of accommodating up to 118 crew members.

(SunDaily)