Lekiu-class frigate

The Lekiu-class frigates are a class of frigates of the Royal Malaysian Navy. They are the most modern surface combatants of the Royal Malaysian Navy, until the Maharaja Lela-class frigates are completed in 2019. The class comprises two vessels, KD Jebat and KD Lekiu. The class is named after the second ship of the class which was launched before Jebat.

KD Lekiu (FFG30) and KD Jebat (FFG29) with USS George Washington
Class overview
Name: Lekiu class
Builders: Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow, UK
Operators:  Royal Malaysian Navy
Preceded by:

KD Rahmat

KD Hang Tuah (as a frigate)
Succeeded by: Maharaja Lela-class frigate
Completed: 2
Active: 2
General characteristics
Class and type: F2000 frigate
Displacement: 2,300 tons full load
Length: 106 m (348 ft)
Beam: 12.75 m (41.8 ft)
Draught: 3.08 m (10.1 ft)
Propulsion: 4 × MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines, 24.5MW, Twin shafts with Kamewa controllable pitch propellers
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi)
Complement: 146 with 18 officers
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Combat System: BAE Systems Insyte Nautis F combat data system
  • Search radar: Ericsson Sea Giraffe-150 Surface search radar G and H bands
  • Thales Netherlands (Signaal) DA-08 air search operating at E and F bands
  • Navigation radar: Thales Defence I-band navigation radar
  • Fire control radars: 2 × Marconi 1802SW, Alenia Marconi Systems Nautis F combat data system, Radamec Series 2000 Optronic weapon director, BAE SYSTEMS 1802 fire control radars operating at I and J bands
  • Thermal Imager: BAE Type V 3001
  • Sonar: Thales Underwater Systems Spherion TSM 2633 LF sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • ESM: BAE Mentor-A
  • ECM: Thales Defense Scimitar
  • Decoy: 2 Super Barricade 12 barrelled launchers, Graseby Sea Siren torpedo decoy
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × Super Lynx 300
Aviation facilities:
  • Stern hangar
  • Helicopter landing platform

The two ships of the class are named after Hang Lekiu and Hang Jebat, two figures from the Malay 15th-century epic narrative Hikayat Hang Tuah. They share this characteristic with the two Kasturi-class corvettes, KD Kasturi and KD Lekir, as well as the old frigate-turned-training ship KD Hang Tuah, all of which are named after figures from the epic as well.

Development

The ships were built in the United Kingdom by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Glasgow (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) from the company's standard F2000 frigate design. Lekiu was launched in December 1994 while the Jebat was launched in May 1995. Jebat carries the lower pennant number (FFG29) to signify the seniority of this ship, which accommodates the Admiral of the Royal Malaysian Navy. (Hang Jebat succeeded Hang Tuah as Laksamana (Admiral) during the Melaka Sultanate, while Hang Lekiu was never made a Laksamana.)

The purchase of the two ships of the Lekiu class involved a major transfer of technology programme and an offset programme where some portion of the contract value would involve purchases and services contracted to Malaysian companies.

Delivery and operational status were delayed due to integration of combat systems problems. The ships were commissioned in March and May 1999. The ships represented a huge jump in capability compared to the frigates then operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy, KD Rahmat and KD Hang Tuah (ex-HMS Mermaid).

Both Jebat and Lekiu serve in the 23 Frigate Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Navy.[1]

Delays

The Lekiu class faced serious delays due to difficulties in the systems integration of the weapons and weapons control system (i.e., software problems). These problems were overcome and the delivery and commissioning of the two ships was completed on 7 October and 10 November 1999.

Plans for further ships

Malaysian Minister of Defence Najib Tun Razak announced at the 2006 Farnborough Air Show that Malaysia would be buying two frigates from the United Kingdom under Project Brave.[2] The Evening Times reported on 20 July 2006 that the Clyde shipyard has won a contract to build two Jebat [sic] class warships for Malaysia.[3][4]

The two ships were to have been completed at Labuan Shipyard as a condition of the deal, but were cancelled in August 2009. In 2013 Malaysia announced the purchasing of six Maharaja Lela-class frigates, and the Lekiu class batch 2 is presumed to be cancelled.

Service Life Extension Program (SLEP)

A limited service life extension program started in 2015. Upgrades include Thales Vigile 100 Mk2 ESM replacing the BAE Mentor A, Chess Dynamics Sea Eagle FCEO replacing the BAE Type V 3001 and Terma Scanter 6000 navigation radar.[5]

Major operation

KD Lekiu together with KD Sri Inderapura involved in Ops Fajar 4 mission/Anti-piracy measures in Somalia by Malaysian navy in Gulf of Aden in 2008. Both ships were tasked to returned two hijacked Malaysian International Shipping Corporation (MISC) shipping vessels MT Bunga Melati Dua and MT Bunga Melati Lima to Malaysia.[6]

In 2013 KD Jebat was involved in a naval blockade in 2013 Lahad Datu standoff.

In 2018, KD Lekiu participated in the world's largest maritime exercise RIMPAC.[7]

Ships of the class
Pennant Name Builders Launched Commissioned Division/Squadron Notes
FFG29 KD Jebat Yarrow Shipbuilders May 1995 March 1999 23rd Frigate Squadron
FFG30 KD Lekiu December 1994 May 1999 23rd Frigate Squadron

See also

References
  1. "Title unknown".
  2. "Government wants to buy British frigates and Italian planes". The Star. 18 July 2006. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007.
  3. "Title unknown". Evening Times. 20 July 2006.
  4. "Shipyards win Malaysian contract". BBC. 19 July 2006.
  5. "Royal Malaysian Navy selects Terma". www.terma.com. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
  6. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2008/10/21/ops-fajar-mission-accomplished/
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