Keels laid for future Royal Malaysian Navy littoral mission ships

Turkish naval shipbuilder STM Defence has laid the keels of three future littoral mission ships (LMS) ordered by the Royal Malaysian Navy.

All three ships will be built in Turkey with STM as the prime contractor responsible for all phases of the project from design to delivery.

STM will undertake ship design, project management, construction management, material/system procurement, integration design and installation, tests, and integrated logistics support (ILS) activities.

The company will also be responsible for the preparation of design and ILS documents related to the project.

Each LMS will have a length of 99.56 metres, a displacement of 2,500 tonnes, and a maximum speed of 26 knots. Accommodation will be available on each ship for 111 personnel.

Each vessel's armament will include a 76mm naval gun, a 30mm remote controlled stabilised gun, and Atmaca anti-ship missiles. Each ship will also be fitted with chaff dispensers and a helicopter deck.

Bülent Soydal, Deputy General Manager of STM, said that all three ships will be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy by the end of 2027.