KUALA LUMPUR: The Defence Ministry is in the final stages of evaluating three Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) options proposed by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in relation to the replacement of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
Its minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the evaluation covered operational requirements, compatibility with the ships, cost implications and procurement timelines.
“A final decision will be made once an option is agreed upon and the procurement contract is signed,” he said in a written parliamentary reply on Monday (Oct 26).
Khaled was responding to Datuk Seri Madius Tangau (GRS-Tuaran), who asked about the status of the NSM replacement, as well as the physical and financial progress of the five Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).
Norway previously announced that it had revoked the export licence for the NSM anti-ship missiles and their associated launcher systems to Malaysia on national security grounds.
The NSM is a long-range anti-ship missile capable of carrying out maritime strike missions at high subsonic speeds, with a range of more than 300km.
On the LCS project, Khaled said the overall construction progress of the five vessels stood at 80.72% as of Sept 25, 2026, against a target of 89.91%, representing a delay of 9.19 percentage points.
He said all five LCS vessels were being built simultaneously, with each at a different stage of completion.
“As of Sept 25, the progress of each vessel was as follows. LCS1 stood at 86.78%, LCS2 at 82.76%, LCS3 at 75.84%, LCS4 at 65.48% and LCS5 at 56.82%.
“The delivery schedule submitted by the company is April 2027 for LCS1, August 2027 for LCS2, December 2027 for LCS3, August 2028 for LCS4 and April 2029 for LCS5.
“The ministry remains committed to continuously monitoring the LCS project to ensure the successful construction, testing and delivery of the vessels in accordance with the stipulated requirements, thereby safeguarding the navy’s operational interests and national security,” he said.
