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Malaysia's first Multi-Purpose Mission Ship, built by Turkey's Desan Shipyard, will arrive in February 2025. Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution highlighted the delivery as crucial for enhancing the Maritime Enforcement Agency's capabilities in increasingly complex waters.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin stressed the Royal Malaysian Navy's need for modern assets during the launch of the third Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 in Malaysia's first Government-to-Government warship procurement with Turkey.
Malaysia has signed government-to-government defence procurement agreements with Turkiye and South Korea, bypassing traditional intermediaries to reduce costs and strengthen bilateral ties. The initiative represents a strategic shift in how the country acquires military assets.
Malaysia is intensifying its response to Norway's revocation of a Naval Strike Missile export licence, with the government halting all future defence contracts and considering broader trade restrictions against the Scandinavian nation.
Malaysia has suspended all new defence equipment purchases from Norway effective immediately, following the Scandinavian nation's cancellation of an export licence for Naval Strike Missiles intended for the Royal Malaysian Navy's Littoral Combat Ships.
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Parliament's Public Accounts Committee has mandated quarterly progress reports on Malaysia's Littoral Combat Ship programme, citing recurring delays and equipment failures. The panel is also demanding full accountability from contractor LUNAS and the Defence Ministry.
Malaysia's armed forces will need two to three years to complete procurement of a replacement missile system for the Naval Strike Missile following Norway's export cancellation, the Defence Force chief has said.
Malaysia's Defence Ministry and Royal Malaysian Navy are racing to complete technical evaluations of replacement missile systems for the Littoral Combat Ship by end of July, following Norway's revocation of the Naval Strike Missile export licence.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has condemned what he characterises as inconsistent global standards, following Norway's decision to scrap a RM1 billion defence procurement agreement with Malaysia.
Malaysia's Defence Ministry defended the RM571.9 million payment for Naval Strike Missiles as contractually justified, not premature. The payment followed successful testing and manufacturing completion by the Norwegian supplier, with contractual protections in place.