KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) has officially begun with a steel-cutting ceremony at Istanbul Shipyard in Turkiye today.
The navy in a social media posting today said the ceremony is a symbolic event marking the commencement of shipbuilding activities and was officiated by Navy chief Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain.
The navy said the ceremony reflects its choice of the Ada-Class Corvette design, made under a government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding, with Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik (STM) appointed as the main contractor.
"The Ada-Class Corvette is currently in service with the Turkish Navy and the Pakistan Navy, with additional vessels under construction for the Pakistan and Ukrainian navies.
"The LMSB2 is designed for multi-dimensional warfare, including anti-surface, anti-air, and electronic warfare capabilities.
"Equipped with advanced weaponry and sensor systems, these ships will enhance the RMN's combat readiness and operational capabilities, ensuring their effectiveness in safeguarding Malaysia's maritime domain," it said.
The navy also said the construction of the LMSB2 vessels is expected to be completed by the end of 2027, with delivery of the vessel anticipated soon after.
The Ada-class corvette is a type of patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel equipped with advanced anti-aircraft missiles.
It has a displacement of approximately 2,500 tonnes, a length of 99.56m, a keel of 14.42m and a draft of 3.94m.
With a maximum speed of over 26 knots and a cruising range of 4,000 kilometres at 14 knots, it can accommodate 111 crew and has a maximum endurance of 14 days.
It is also equipped with a helipad and a hangar to store and operate ASW helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
In June, the Defence Ministry handed over the Letter of Agreement (LOA) for the purchase of the second batch of three LMSB2 witnessed by its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin during an official visit to Turkiye.
He said the 2019 Malaysian Defence White Paper outlined that the navy needed to have 18 LMS to patrol the country's waters, which consists of the South China Sea, the Sulawesi Sea, the Straits of Malacca, and the Sulu Sea.