KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry (Mindef) has reaffirmed its commitment that the construction of the Royal Malaysian Navy's first littoral combat ship will be delivered on schedule.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, said the construction of the LCS is currently on track for delivery in 2026.
"The construction of the LCS, which began in 2011, is currently progressing according to schedule.
"We are aware that we must protect our waters. We are now completing five ships, and we launched the first one a few months ago, which will undergo sea trials.
"God willing, the construction of the LCS will be completed during the current government's term, with the first delivery expected in 2026," he said in his speech during the Umno PenTalk in conjunction with the 2024 Umno general assembly today.
The assembly is scheduled to take place from Aug 21 to 24 at the World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
In June, the ministry announced that the first LCS was launched on May 23, as per the contract schedule.
The construction of the other ships, LCS2 to LCS5, is also on track, and they are expected to be delivered in eight-month intervals, starting with LCS2 in 2027.
LCS5 is expected to be completed in 2029.
Meanwhile, in terms of the littoral mission ships (LMS), Khaled said the government has procured three LMS at a cost of RM2.5 billion, and these are expected to be completed and delivered by 2027.
"We are aware of the tensions in the South China Sea, the overlapping claims in the area, and how dynamic the situation is.
"This (the procurement of LMS) is an asset that we have successfully acquired and, God willing, it will help us in protecting our sovereignty in the South China Sea dispute."
Mindef in June handed over a letter of agreement (LoA) for the purchase of the second batch of three LMS to the Turkish defence company, Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik.
Khaled said the project will take about three and a half years to complete, and Malaysia will receive all three ships by the end of 2027.