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Royal Malaysian Navy Launched its First LCS Gowind Frigate KD Maharaja Lela

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Naval Forces News - Malaysia
 
 
 
Royal Malaysian Navy Launched its First LCS Gowind Frigate KD Maharaja Lela
 
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN or Tentera Laut DiRaja Malaysia; TLDM) launched and named today its first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Gowind frigate. The ceremony took place at Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Berhad (BHIC) Lumut shipyard (Western Malaysia) on August 24th. The first of class vessel is now known as KD Maharaja Lela.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 001The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
Dato Maharaja Lela (died on 20 January 1877) was a Malay nationalist from Perak. Dato' Maharajalela is generally celebrated as a folk hero by Malay nationalists, and seen as a symbol of the Malay resistance against British colonialism.

In late 2016, the RMN ran a poll on its website to select the name of its future frigate class currently known as LCS / Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV) program. Malaysian citizens were invited to select one of three "group of names" based on one theme each:
- Theme 1: Fighter (Pejuang) "Symbol of the fighting spirit in defending the country's sovereignty".
- Theme 2: Weapon (Senjata): "Upholding the power of traditional weapons used by the warriors of the homeland against invaders".
- Theme 3: Courage (Nilai Keberanian): "Upholding the courage and heroism in the fighting spirit of the individual and the troops".

It appears that the LCS Gowind class will be nammed after "Theme 1: Fighter".
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 005
The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
The ceremony took place in presence of many officials including Malaysia's Minister of Defence Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the RMN Chief of Navy Admiral Kamarul.

The keel of the first vessel was laid on March 8th 2016.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 008The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
The keel of the first vessel was laid on March 8th 2016.

We learned during LIMA 2017 that the Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM) won't be installed aboard the vessel before its shore-based systems acceptance test set for June 2018 (eventough one of the recent pictures seem to show the mast in place). PSIM is a large module combining sensors, combat system, communications and operations stations. Last but not least, according to the RMN, the first LCS should be operational "around 2023".

The second vessel's keel was just laid on February 28th and is set for a May 2018 launch.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 009The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
In early 2011, Malaysia launched the SGPV program with a budget of RM6 billion (US$1.9 billion) calling for six stealth frigates. Several foreign shipbuilders were bidding for the program. In late 2011, it was announced that the Gowind class design by DCNS had been chosen and that the SGPV program had been awarded to Boustead Naval Shipyard/DCNS.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 010The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
Based on the Naval Group (ex-DCNS) Gowind 2500 corvette design (also selected by the Egyptian Navy), the Royal Malaysian Navy future LCS will be slightly larger and thus classified as frigates (with a length of 111 meters and a displacement of 3,100 tons).

The RMN frigates will differ quite a lot compared to the Egyptian Navy Gowind corvettes which may be considered as the "baseline configuration": Navy Recognition was the first one to reveal that the RMN selected Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missile (NSM) for its LCS. This was two years ago during LIMA 2015. The main gun will be a 57mm by BAE Systems Bofors in a stealth cupola similar to the Visby-class stealth corvettes of the Swedish Navy. (In comparison, the Egyptian corvettes will be fitted with MBDA's Exocet anti-ship missiles and 76mm main gun from Leonardo.) The radar will be a SMART-S Mk2 by Thales while the fire control and optronics will be Rheinmetall products. The vessels will be fitted with integrated communications systems by Rhode and Schwarz.

For more details, check out our Royal Malaysian Navy LCS / SGPV Technical datasheet
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 012The LCS Gowind frigate features a stealth design and "4D" warfare capabilities. RMN picture.
     
KD Maharaja Lela characteristics:
Length: 111 meters
Beam: 16 meters
Draught: 3.85 meters
Displacement: 3078 tonnes
Speed: >28 knots
Endurance: 5000 nautical miles
Crew: 118 sailors (including 18 officers)

"4D" warfare capabilities: AAW, ASuW, ASW and EW
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 004 RMN picture.
     
The RMN frigates will differ quite a lot compared to the Egyptian Navy Gowind corvettes which may be considered as the "baseline configuration": Navy Recognition was the first one to reveal that the RMN selected Kongsberg's Naval Strike Missile (NSM) for its LCS. This was two years ago during LIMA 2015. The main gun will be a 57mm by BAE Systems Bofors in a stealth cupola similar to the Visby-class stealth corvettes of the Swedish Navy. (In comparison, the Egyptian corvettes will be fitted with MBDA's Exocet anti-ship missiles and 76mm main gun from Leonardo.) The radar will be a SMART-S Mk2 by Thales while the fire control and optronics will be Rheinmetall products. The vessels will be fitted with integrated communications systems by Rhode and Schwarz.

For more details, check out our Royal Malaysian Navy LCS / SGPV Technical datasheet
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 006The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 007The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 011
The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 002The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.
     
LCS Gowind Frigate Malaysia TLDM RMN Boustead Naval Group 003The first LCS Gowind frigate for the RMN was officially launched and named during a ceremony at Lumut shipyard. RMN picture.