{"id":16992,"date":"2017-08-24T17:03:52","date_gmt":"2017-08-24T17:03:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/08\/24\/malaysia-launches-its-first-french-designed-lcs-as-navy-moves-to-modernize\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:34:25","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:34:25","slug":"malaysia-launches-its-first-french-designed-lcs-as-navy-moves-to-modernize","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/asia-pacific\/2017\/08\/24\/malaysia-launches-its-first-french-designed-lcs-as-navy-moves-to-modernize\/","title":{"rendered":"Malaysia launches its first French-designed LCS as Navy moves to modernize"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MELBOURNE, Australia \u2015 Malaysia has launched the first of its new littoral combat ships ordered under a $2 billion contract signed in 2011, as the Southeast Asian country continues its drive to modernize its navy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ship, named the Maharaja Lela, was launched Thursday at the facilities of builder Boustead Naval Shipyard in Lumut, Malaysia, in a ceremony attended by Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy Adm. Kamarulzaman Bin Haji Ahmad Badaruddin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malaysia\u2019s LCS design is based on the French Gowind 2500 corvette, and the first ship is expected to enter service with the Royal Malaysian Navy in the first half of 2019. All six of the program\u2019s ships are scheduled to be in service by 2023. Boustead had laid the keel of the second ship in February this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 3,100-ton ship incorporates stealth characteristics, and its primary armament consists of a single BAE Systems Mk3 57mm gun in a stealthy turret; a 16-cell Sylver vertical launching system for the MBDA VL MICA surface-to-air missile; and a pair of quadruple launchers for the Kongsberg anti-ship Naval Strike Missile. Additionally, a pair of MSI Seahawk 30mm cannons and two J+S Marine triple torpedo launchers are also fitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ship\u2019s electronics suite includes the Thales Smart-S Mk2 3-D surveillance radar and Captas-2 variable-depth sonar, while Rheinmetall will supply the TMX\/EO Mk2 fire-control radar and TMEO Mk2 electro-optical tracking systems for the ships. A Swiss subsidiary of Rheinmetall recently agreed on a joint venture with Boustead to provide project management, contract administration and related services for Malaysia\u2019s defense industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\t