ISTANBUL: The construction of the second batch of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) at the Istanbul Shipyard is proceeding according to schedule, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
The Defence Minister said the first LMS is expected to be launched next April, followed by the second in June 2026 and the third in August 2026.
"The construction of the second batch of LMS marks the first procurement following the signing of the government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MOU) for defence acquisitions during my official maiden visit to Turkiye in June last year.
"The progress of this construction is definitely important because it serves as the benchmark for the new procurement approach by the government," he told reporters after surveying the ship construction at the Istanbul Shipyard here on Thursday (July 24).
He was accompanied by Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain and a delegation from the Defence Ministry.
He said that after the vessels are launched into the water, they will enter a critical phase involving integrating various systems to be used on board, before Malaysia takes full delivery of the three ships by the end of 2027.
He added that the procurement of the three LMS vessels will be followed by an Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), which has the potential to significantly impact the local defence industry, including through technology transfer that will be finalised by the end of this year.
He said that Turkiye, before becoming a producer of defence products, also underwent a process of technology transfer from other countries before successfully developing its defence industry.
"Malaysia has the same aspiration. Hopefully, the good bilateral relations and strategic collaboration between Malaysia and Turkiye can help propel the local defence industry, and at the same time, strengthen national sovereignty," he said.
The second batch of LMS vessels for the Navy is based on the Ada-class corvette design developed by STM, which is equipped for multiple roles. Each of the ships will also be armed with ATMACA surface-to-surface missiles and air defence systems.
Earlier, Mohamed Khaled attended the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, which is one of the world's prestigious defence exhibitions, organised by Turkiye's Ministry of National Defence (MOND) at the Istanbul Expo Centre. - Bernama
