, seen here under construction at Lumut, more than two years after its ceremonial launch. Maharaja Lela Malaysia's Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) has once again pushed back the expected delivery date for the country's first Maharaja Lela-clas.
, seen here under construction at Lumut, more than two years after its ceremonial launch. Maharaja Lela Malaysia's Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) has once again pushed back the expected delivery date for the country's first Maharaja Lela-clas.
Malaysia to resume LCS programme
10 May 2021
by Marhalim bin Abas
The Malaysian government approved the resumption of production of Maharaja Lela (Gowind)-class littoral combat ships (LCSs) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) on 5 May after having temporarily suspended the project due to issues with the shipbuilder over delays and rising costs.
Very little information has emerged but Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said on 7 May that Malaysia’s Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) has been given “strict conditions” to ensure the completion of the project, although no details were provided about the conditions.
Malaysia’s first LCS,
Maharaja Lela
, during its launch ceremony in August 2017. The Malaysian government announced the resumption of the LCS programme on 5 May.
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Malaysia-China defence ties cool amid political changes and South China Sea tensions China was commissioned to build four littoral mission ships for Malaysia. Photo: Royal Malaysian Navy/Facebook
In 2017, Malaysia and China s defence relationship peaked after former prime minister Najib Razak renewed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation during a trip to Beijing.
The October 2016 visit came months after a special arbitral tribunal ruled in favour of the Philippines in its dispute with Beijing over its South China Sea claims, and the Najib government seemed determined to not let the landmark case affect its pursuit of closer ties with China.