KUALA LUMPUR: KD Lekir is the first Royal Malaysian Navy vessel to fire a missile and hit a target outside Malaysian waters, says Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany.
The Navy chief said that KD Lekir fired the Exocet MM40 missile during the Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercise ongoing off Hawaii.
The launch was witnessed by Admiral Mohd Reza and Western Armada deputy chief First Admiral Farizal Myeor at the K. Mark Takai Pacific Warfighting Centre at Ford Island, Hawaii and the target was the decommissioned guided missile frigate USS Rodney M. Davis.
"Rimpac is the best platform to increase interoperability between those who take part. The involvement is an experience that will elevate the professionalism of the KD Lekir crew," Admiral Mohd Reza said in a statement on Saturday (July 16).
He added that this is the second time the Navy has taken part, with KD Lekiu participating in 2018.
"The biggest international maritime exercise is an opportunity for a joint exercise involving various countries while strengthening cooperation among the participants," he said.
According to the Navy, KD Lekir previously fired the same missile during the Taming Sari exercise at the Melaka Straits on May 22 in preparation for Rimpac.
Participants of Rimpac took part in sea exercises for 22 days from July 11 after two weeks at port.
The sea exercises involved 38 ships, four submarines and more than 170 aircraft from 26 countries.
