13-3-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) After a prolonged delay, the controversial Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project is finally set to regain its momentum, with the first vessel anticipated to undergo sea trials by November, according to Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin. The minister’s statement comes as a reassurance amidst concerns surrounding the project’s progress.
Speaking during the winding up of ministerial replies on the motion of thanks on the royal address, Khaled Nordin provided an update on the project’s overall completion progress, which stood at 67.57% as of January this year. Although this figure falls short of the targeted 68.77% completion rate by approximately 1%, the minister expressed confidence that the project would be back on track according to schedule by June.
“This is around 1% less than the targeted completion progress rate of 68.77%,” Khaled Nordin stated, acknowledging the slight delay. “Following mitigation efforts, the project would be back on track according to schedule by June.”
According to the minister’s projections, the first LCS vessel will reach an 85% completion rate by November, paving the way for harbour acceptance tests and subsequent sea trials spanning two years. Upon successful completion of these trials, the Royal Malaysian Navy is expected to commission the ship by 2026.
Addressing concerns about the remaining four LCS vessels, Khaled Nordin assured that their progress would be on track by the end of this year. The second ship is anticipated to have a completion rate of 78.17%, followed by the third LCS at 61.48%, the fourth at 53.4%, and the fifth at 44.11% by 2024.
The LCS project has faced scrutiny in recent times, with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) revealing that the first vessel was 86 days behind schedule. In response, Khaled Nordin clarified that the PAC’s figure was derived from combining the delays of several components within the project.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Ikmal Hisham Abdul Aziz (PN-Tanah Merah) raised concerns about the possibility of never-ending delays for the LCS project and inquired about the allocation of the additional RM2.5 billion, questioning whether it was used to settle previous debts.
Addressing these concerns, Khaled Nordin stated that the additional allocation was utilized to cover changes in the LCS specifications, including modifications to the Surface-to-Surface Missile, Decoy Launching System, and Integrated Platform Management System, as required by the Navy.
