KUALA LUMPUR: The overall progress of the long-delayed littoral combat ships (LCS) project as of Oct 25 stood at 70.10 per cent, falling slightly behind the planned schedule.
Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari said the progress, encompassing design, construction, equipment, and testing, is 0.59 per cent behind schedule, with actual progress at 70.10 per cent compared to the planned 70.69 per cent as per the contract's timeline.
"Based on the milestones outlined in the signed contract, the final phase of construction for the first LCS is expected to be completed by the end of this year, after which it will undergo Harbour Acceptance Test (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Trial (SAT) by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) over a two-year period.
"As for the second LCS, it is expected to be launched in 2025 before undergoing HAT and SAT.
"Overall, the current progress status for the LCS procurement as of Oct 25 stands at 70.1 per cent compared to the planned progress of 70.69 per cent, marking a difference of 0.59 per cent behind the scheduled target," he said in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Adly said the Defence Ministry is closely monitoring the progress of the LCS's construction.
This includes conducting regular site inspections and holding monthly or even weekly meetings with the contractor, Lumut Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (LNS).
The LCS project has been under scrutiny in recent years, due to significant delays and cost overruns.
Initially budgeted at RM6 billion, the project's costs surged to RM9.18 billion, and eventually reached RM11.22 billion.