KD Keris (111)
Class overview
NameKeris class
BuildersChina Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Ltd
Operators Royal Malaysian Navy
Preceded byKedah class
Planned18[1]
Completed4
Active4
General characteristics
TypeLittoral Mission Ship[2]
Displacement700 tons
Length69 m (226 ft 5 in)
Beam9 m (29 ft 6 in)
Draught2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Speed24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph)
Range2,000 nmi (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Endurance15 days
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 x RHIB
Complement45 (8 officers 37 enlisted)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • SR-47AG search radar
  • HEOS-100 & HEOS-300 fire control radar
Armament

The Keris-class are a class of large patrol vessels (Littoral Mission Ship) of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) with a length of 69 metres (226 ft 5 in) and displacing 700 tons. A total of 18 ships are planned. As of 2018, four ships have been funded by the Malaysian government.[5]

Development

The ships will be built by Malaysia and China companies under the joint development agreement. Malaysia and China agreed to jointly develop a Littoral Mission Ship and, two ships will be built in China by China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Co. Ltd, the rest will be built in Malaysia by local company Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC).[6] The first ship was to be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy by 2019, the second and third by 2020 and the fourth by 2021.[7][8]

Description

The ships are enlarged and improved version of Durjoy-class large patrol craft of the Bangladesh Navy but armed with only guns as per requirement of the Royal Malaysian Navy.[9] The ships able to carry up three standard ISO containers. The ships will support missions including anti-surface warfare, mine warfare, hydrography and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) duties.[2][10]

Improved design

Revolutionary Littoral Mission Ship

BHIC revealed a newer design of the Littoral Mission Ship in Defence Service Asia 2018 named Revolutionary Littoral Mission Ship. The design will be more than 75 metres (246 ft) in length and will incorporate new capabilities to fulfill the Royal Malaysian Navy's requirements. It will have low radar cross section where BHIC has already improved their stealth design and the addition of a flight deck to accommodate a medium-sized helicopter. This new design will be offered by BHIC to the Royal Malaysian Navy for the next batch after all the four ships of the initial design were jointly constructed by Malaysia and China companies. A total of 18 ships of this class are planned to be ordered by the Royal Malaysian Navy.[11][12]

Program revised

After the government changed in 2018 Malaysian general election, the Littoral Mission Ship acquisition program was revised in early 2019 to reduce the procurement costs and shorten the delivery process. Through this new contract all four ships will be built by China from the original contract, which was initially two vessels built by China and the rest built by Malaysia.[13] In September 2020, Malaysia planned that the next batch of the ship will be the new design from other company. Its includes a 68 m offshore patrol vessel concept from Netherland shipbuilder Damen known as the Damen Stan Patrol Vessel 6811, a 70.7 m offshore patrol vessel from US shipbuilder Swiftships, a 70.2 m offshore patrol vessel from German shipbuilder Fassmer and a 70 m offshore patrol vessel from local company Preston. While the joint venture between Malaysian company, Destini, and Netherlands-based shipbuilder, Damen, offered the proposal that similar to the ship that ordered by Malaysia Coast Guard which is an 83 m Damen 1800 OPV.[14]

Ships

Pennant no. Name Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Division/Squadron Homeport Status
111 KD Keris China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company 23 October 2018[15] 15 April 2019[16] 6 January 2020[17] 11th LMS Squadron Sepanggar In service
112 KD Sundang 23 October 2018[18] 12 July 2019[19] 5 March 2021[20][21] 11th LMS Squadron Sepanggar In service
113 KD Badik 18 September 2019[22] 30 October 2020[23] 22 October 2021 11th LMS Squadron Sepanggar In service
114 KD Rencong 18 September 2019[24] 16 December 2020[25] 28 January 2022[26][27] 11th LMS Squadron Sepanggar In service

See also

References

  1. ^ "Malaysia aims to replace all 50 ships in navy". The Straits Times. 22 March 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b "15 to 5 and LMS Updates". malaysiandefence.com. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  3. ^ "PJ17". deagel.com. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Keris On Sea Trials". malaysiandefence.com. 19 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Littoral Mission Ship". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  6. ^ "More on the LMS". malaysiandefence.com. 5 November 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Malaysia's New China Warship Deal: Promises and Prospects". The Diplomat. 4 February 2017. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  8. ^ "LMS Steel Cutting". malaysiandefence.com. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  9. ^ "More on the LMS, Part 2". Malaysian Defence. 24 January 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Malaysia's second Keris-class littoral mission ship Sundang launched in China". navaltoday.com. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  11. ^ "DSA 2018: Malaysia looks beyond China for next-gen LMS". shepherdmedia.com. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  12. ^ "DSA 2018: Malaysia's Boustead leverages Chinese know-how in LMS programme". Jane's 360. 16 April 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  13. ^ "LMS Price Reduction, All To Be Made in China". malaysiandefence.com. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  14. ^ "Intellasia East Asia News - Malaysia evaluates options for second batch of Littoral Mission Ships". Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  15. ^ "Keel Laying and Steel Cutting Ceremony for LMS". malaysiandefence.com. 23 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  16. ^ "Keris Launched". malaysiandefence.com. 15 April 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Royal Malaysian Navy commissions first Keris-class Littoral Mission Ship". Jane's 360. 6 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  18. ^ "BHIC begins construction of littoral mission ships". theedgemarkets.com. 24 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  19. ^ "Sundang, Second LMS launched". malaysiandefence.com. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  20. ^ "Malaysian Defence-Sundang Commissioned". malaysiandefence.com. 5 March 2021.
  21. ^ bin Abas, Marhalim. "RMN commissions second Keris-class Littoral Mission Ship". Janes. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Third LMS name Badik". malaysiandefence.com. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  23. ^ "Third Littoral Mission Ship for Royal Malaysian Navy Launched in China". 30 October 2020.
  24. ^ "Rencong Delivered - Malaysian Defence". 18 December 2021.
  25. ^ "Fourth LMS Launched - Malaysian Defence". 16 December 2020.
  26. ^ "The Edge Market-Midef Focus Eight Thrust Under PT22". 17 January 2022. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  27. ^ https://www.pressreader.com/malaysia/the-borneo-post-sabah/20220129/282630331041197. Retrieved 16 December 2023 – via PressReader. ((cite web)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
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