Keris-class littoral mission ship

The Keris class are a class of large patrol vessels (Littoral Mission Ship) of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) with a length of 69 metres (226 ft 5 in) and displacing 700 tons. A total of 18 ships are planned. As of 2018, four ships have been funded by the Malaysian government.[5]

Class overview
Builders: China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Ltd
Operators:  Royal Malaysian Navy
Preceded by: Kedah-class offshore patrol vessel
Planned: 18[1]
Completed: 4
Active: 2
General characteristics
Type: Littoral Mission Ship[2]
Displacement: 700 tons
Length: 69 m (226 ft 5 in)
Beam: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught: 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
Range: 2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Endurance: 15 days
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 2 x RHIB
Complement: 45 (8 officers 37 enlisted)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • SR-47AG search radar
  • HEOS-100 & HEOS-300 fire control radar
Armament:

Development

The ships will be built by Malaysia and China companies under the joint development agreement. Malaysia and China agreed to jointly develop a Littoral Mission Ship and, two ships will be built in China by China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Ltd, the rest will be built in Malaysia by local company Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC).[6] The first ship was to be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy by 2019, the second and third by 2020 and the fourth by 2021.[7][8]

Description

The ships are enlarged and improved version of Durjoy-class large patrol craft of the Bangladesh Navy but armed with only guns as per requirement of the Royal Malaysian Navy.[9] The ships able to carry up three standard ISO containers. The ships will support missions including anti-surface warfare, mine warfare, hydrography and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) duties.[2][10]

Improved design

Revolutionary Littoral Mission Ship

BHIC revealed a newer design of the Littoral Mission Ship in Defence Service Asia 2018 named Revolutionary Littoral Mission Ship. The design will be more than 75 metres (246 ft) in length and will incorporate new capabilities to fulfill the Royal Malaysian Navy's requirements. It will have low radar cross section where BHIC has already improved their stealth design and the addition of a flight deck to accommodate a medium-sized helicopter. This new design will be offered by BHIC to the Royal Malaysian Navy for the next batch after all the four ships of the initial design were jointly constructed by Malaysia and China companies. A total of 18 ships of this class are planned to be ordered by the Royal Malaysian Navy.[11][12]

Program revised

After the government changed in 2018 Malaysian general election, the Littoral Mission Ship acquisition program was revised in early 2019 to reduce the procurement costs and shorten the delivery process. Through this new contract all four ships will be built by China from the original contract, which was initially be two vessels built by China and the rest built by Malaysia.[13] In September 2020, Malaysia planned that the next batch of the ship will be the new design from other company. Its includes a 68 m offshore patrol vessel concept from Netherland shipbuilder Damen known as the Damen Stan Patrol Vessel 6811, a 70.7 m offshore patrol vessel from US shipbuilder Swiftships, a 70.2 m offshore patrol vessel from German shipbuilder Fassmer and a 70 m offshore patrol vessel from local company Preston. While the joint venture between Malaysian company, Destini, and Netherlands-based shipbuilder, Damen, offered the proposal that similar to the ship that ordered by Malaysia Coast Guard which is a 83 m Damen 1800 OPV.[14]

Ships
Pennant no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Division/Squadron Homeport Status
111 KD Keris China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company 23 October 2018[15] 15 April 2019[16] 6 January 2020[17] 11th LMS Squadron Sepanggar In service
112 KD Sundang 23 October 2018[18] 12 July 2019[19] 25 January 2021 11th LMS Squadron Sepanggar In service
113 LMS (3) TBA 30 October 2020[20] 11th LMS Squadron In trial
114 LMS (4) TBA 16 December 2020[21] 11th LMS Squadron In trial

See also

References
  1. "Malaysia aims to replace all 50 ships in navy". The Straits Times. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  2. "15 to 5 and LMS Updates". malaysiandefence.com. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  3. "PJ17". deagel.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  4. "Keris On Sea Trials". malaysiandefence.com. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  5. "Littoral Mission Ship". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  6. "More on the LMS". malaysiandefence.com. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  7. "Malaysia's New China Warship Deal: Promises and Prospects". The Diplomat. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  8. "LMS Steel Cutting". malaysiandefence.com. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  9. "More on the LMS, Part 2". Malaysian Defence. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  10. "Malaysia's second Keris-class littoral mission ship Sundang launched in China". navaltoday.com. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  11. "DSA 2018: Malaysia looks beyond China for next-gen LMS". shepherdmedia.com. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  12. "DSA 2018: Malaysia's Boustead leverages Chinese know-how in LMS programme". Jane's 360. 16 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  13. "LMS Price Reduction, All To Be Made in China". malaysiandefence.com. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  14. https://www.intellasia.net/malaysia-evaluates-options-for-second-batch-of-littoral-mission-ships-812327
  15. "Keel Laying and Steel Cutting Ceremony for LMS". malaysiandefence.com. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  16. "Keris Launched". malaysiandefence.com. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  17. "Royal Malaysian Navy commissions first Keris-class Littoral Mission Ship". Jane's 360. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  18. "BHIC begins construction of littoral mission ships". theedgemarkets.com. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  19. "Sundang, Second LMS launched". malaysiandefence.com. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  20. https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/10/third-littoral-mission-ship-for-royal-malaysian-navy-launched-in-china/#:~:text=The%20third%20Littoral%20Mission%20Ship,Group%2C%20in%20Wuhan%2C%20China.&text=The%20next%20phase%20for%20this,harbor-side%20Acceptance%20Test%20Phase.
  21. https://www.malaysiandefence.com/fourth-lms-launched/
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