Two RMN Scorpene submarines to undergo refit

Official inspection: Hishammuddin touring the submarine dock at the RMN base in Teluk Sepanggar.

KOTA KINABALU: The two Scorpene submarines based at the Teluk Sepanggar Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) base will be undergoing a refit or maintenance programme to ensure their operational capabilities are in good form, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

At the same time, he said the naval base would undergo construction upgrades on the submarine workshops to help improve the maintenance work on the two submarines – KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Razak.

“The plan to refit the submarines depends on the upgrades for the naval base. We cannot predict the timeline of the refitting until the upgrade work on the base is completed,” he said on the last day of his three-day official visit here yesterday

“But, the work is ongoing and on schedule.”

Hishammuddin said the Govern­ment wanted the submarines to be in good form for their maximum operational lifespan of 35 years and was working closely with submarine maintenance contractor Boustead DCNS Naval Corporation Sdn Bhd.

The French navy has also stationed an official at the base since 2009 to advise Malaysian officials on the submarines.

The Scorpenes were jointly built in Spain and France.

Hishammuddin had also suggested that the Teluk Sepanggar naval base be equipped with an air defence system in future because of its strategic importance in guarding Malaysia’s maritime borders.