Maharaja Lela-class frigate

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Class overview
NameMaharaja Lela class
Builders
Operators Royal Malaysian Navy
Preceded by Lekiu class
Cost
  • RM 9 billion (2011) for 6 units + ToT (ceiling)
  • RM 1.5 billion (2011) per unit + ToT (ceiling)
Planned6[1]
Building5[2][3][4]
Completed1
General characteristics
TypeLittoral combat ship (LCS)/frigate
Displacement3,100 tons
Length
  • 111 m (364 ft 2 in) (overall)
  • 105 m (344 ft 6 in) (waterline)
Beam
  • 16 m (52 ft 6 in) (main deck)
  • 14.2 m (46 ft 7 in) (waterline)
Draught3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
PropulsionCODAD 4 x MTU 20V 1163 M94, each rated at 7,400 kW (9,925 shp) Total output: 29,600 kW (39,694 shp) [5]
Speed28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement138[6]
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys		Thales Vigile ESM Wallop/Esterline Super Barricade decoy system
Armament
Aircraft carriedVarious types of UAVs and helicopters, weighing up to 10 tons
Aviation facilitiesStern hangar and helicopter landing platform

The Maharaja Lela-class frigates (before known as Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV) or Littoral combat ships (LCS)) is a class of six stealth frigates being built for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).[1] The ships are based on an enlarged version of the Gowind-class corvette, designed by DCNS of France. The contract has been finalised and it has been decided that all six ships will be built by local shipbuilder Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC) for the RMN at a ceiling price of RM9 billion (US$2.8 billion), starting from 2015.[9] The ships will be 111 metres (364 ft 2 in)s long with a displacement of 3,100 tonnes (3,100 long tons).[10]

Development[]

In early 2011, Malaysia announced its SGPV program with a budget of RM6 billion (US$1.9 billion) and six foreign shipbuilders announced interest in the project, most notably ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems with the MEKO 200 and Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding with the Sigma class 10514 as well as DCNS's Gowind-class corvette which was ultimately selected.[11]

In late 2011, it was announced that the Gowind class had been chosen and that the SGPV program had been awarded to Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC)/DCNS, with the ceiling price increasing to RM9 billion (US$2.8 billion) from RM6 billion (US$1.9 billion). The RM9 billion (US$2.8 billion) contract included intellectual property rights and technology transfer.[12] The ships' sizes had also changed in accordance with the increase in ceiling price, increasing from 2,700 tonnes (2,700 long tons) to 3,100 tonnes (3,100 long tons). All six ships will be built in Lumut, Malaysia and electronic components will be assembled in Cyberjaya, a township in Malaysia just south of Kuala Lumpur.

At DSA 2014, BHIC confirmed that the program is progressing rather well, with some parts already in critical design review the first ship expected to be finished by 2019. BHIC was in charge of designing the Malaysian specification.[13]

On 5 October 2014, RMN chief Admiral Aziz told IHS Jane's that construction of the first of the six ships had started at the BHIC facilities in Lumut, and reiterating a 2019 delivery date for the first ship and the remaining five ships delivered at six-month intervals thereafter. It also stated that RMN's current planning schedule called for sea trials of the first ship to be carried out in 2018 and operational entry in 2019.

Delays[]

In 2020, Malaysian government have announced that the LCS project encountered some delays.[14] The Ministry of Defence awarded the project to BHIC in 2011 and at least two vessels should have been delivered by 2020 but none of the ships delivered yet as 2020. The Ministry of Defence is considering two options to resolve the delayed RM9 billion LCS project by BHIC. The first option is BHIC need to continue the construction of the first of two ships so the government can resolve it. The second option is the government will ask the DCNS (the original designer) to complete the ships but this option was rejected by the parliament.[15]

Following this delays, the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said it would call up former Malaysian Defence Minister, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi regarding the issue of non-delivery of LCS to the navy. PAC chairman Wong Kah Woh said former RMN chief, Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Hj Jaafar and the main contractor of the LCS project, BHIC would also be called.[16] Pangkor assemblyman, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir had said about 200 vendors and contractors will shut down and 10,000 workers will affected if LCS program continue to delay.[17]

On 5 May 2021, the Malaysian government decided that it would retain BHIC as the class' shipbuilder.[18] In November 2021, Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein said, the first ship will be commissioned in 2025.[19]

Characteristics[]

General[]

Specifications

  • Displacement – 3,100 tons
  • Length – 111 m (overall) / 105 m (waterline)
  • Breadth – 16 m (main deck) / 14.2 m (waterline)
  • Draught – 3.85 m
  • Propulsion – CODAD
  • Maximum speed – 28 knots
  • Range – 5,000 nm at 15 knots
  • Crew – 138
  • Survivability – Sea State 9
  • Endurance – 21 days
  • Aircraft carried – 1 × Super Lynx 300 / Fennec AS555 / EC725

Sensors[]

SMART-S radar for the SGPVs

It is believed that the RMN had requested for Thales Herakles radar that used on the FREMM frigates but BHIC had instead chosen the SMART-S.[20] These following sensors have been chosen for the ships.

  • Combat System: DCNS SETIS
  • Search radar: Thales SMART-S Mk2
  • Fire control radar: Rheinmetall TMEO Mk2 electro-optical tracking system & TMX/EO Mk2
  • Sonar: Thales CAPTAS-2 ASW suite with hull sonar and towed array sonar

Armament[]

The stealth 57 mm gun to equip the SGPVs, seen with the barrel retracted

The Bofors 57 mm gun will be mounted in a stealth cupola similar to the ones mounted on the Swedish Visby-class corvettes. This frigate also equipped with two MSI DS30M 30 mm cannon as a secondary gun. BHIC also announced that there has been 16 Sylver VLS allocated on the deck of the ship for the surface-to-air missile although the missiles not contracted yet as 2019. At the LIMA 2015, BHIC confirmed that the Naval Strike Missile had been chosen for this frigate anti-ship missile requirement, winning over the Exocet MM40 Block 3.[21] For the anti-submarine capabilities, it is confirmed that the ships will be equipped with two J+S fixed triple torpedo launcher.[22]

Ships of the class[]

Name Pennant number Builders Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
Maharaja Lela 2501 BHIC 8 March 2016 24 August 2017[23] expected 2025
Syarif Masahor 2502 28 February 2017[3] expected 2026
2503 18 December 2017[2]
2504 31 October 2018[24]
2505 TBA[25]
2506

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Malaysian Ministry of Defence Confirms Construction of Gowind ships for LCS program". navyrecognition.com. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Keel Laying Ceremony for Third LCS - Malaysian Defence".
  3. ^ a b "No Quarter - Malaysian Defence".
  4. ^ "No Quarter". malaysiandefence.com. Retrieved 1 Sep 2017.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ "NavyRecognition". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  7. ^ "LIMA 2015 update". Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  8. ^ "Letter of Award for NSM ships equipment with Malaysian Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd". Navy Recognition. 9 April 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  9. ^ Abas, Marhalim (17 July 2014). "SGPV-LCS Contract Formalised". Malaysian Defence. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  10. ^ "Royal Malaysian Navy Releases First Official Image of its LCS-SGPV Corvette". navyrecognition.com. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  11. ^ Abas, Marhalim (22 February 2011). "SGPV or LCS...Part II". Malaysian Defence. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  12. ^ Abas, Marhalim (17 December 2011). "SGPV/LCS/ Frigate awarded to BNS/DCNS Ceiling Price Goes Up to RM9 billion". Malaysian Defence. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  13. ^ "Malaysian Navy Gowind SGPV LCS program update at DSA 2014 with Boustead". Youtube.
  14. ^ [2]
  15. ^ "Boustead: No comment on littoral combat ship project resumption until official confirmation". 10 May 2021.
  16. ^ "Defence ministry wants RM180 mil for delay in combat ship delivery".
  17. ^ "Ismail Sabri: Cabinet to decide on fate of littoral combat ship project".
  18. ^ Rahmat, Ridzwan (12 May 2021). "Malaysia retains Boustead as shipbuilder for LCS programme". Janes. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  19. ^ "Kapal Pertama LCS Disasar Siap Pada Tahun 2025".
  20. ^ "Thales SMART-S Mk2 radar and CAPTAS- 2 towed sonar confirmed for Malaysia LCS program". navyrecognition.com. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  21. ^ "Letter of Award for NSM ships equipment with Malaysian Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd". 9 April 2015.
  22. ^ "J+S Ltd to supply the Torpedo Launching System for the Royal Malaysian Navy LCS/SGPV corvettes". navyrecognition.com. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  23. ^ "Royal Malaysian Navy Launched its First LCS Gowind Frigate KD Maharaja Lela".
  24. ^ "Fourth LCS Keel Laying Ceremony - Malaysian Defence".
  25. ^ "Here We Go Again LCS - Malaysian Defence".

External links[]

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