Royal Malaysian Navy Fires Missiles in South China Sea Exercise

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) successfully fired several missiles during the Navy’s latest series of drills – Exercise Kerismas 26/2019, one of the biggest carried out in as many years. The missiles were fired at a designated location in the South China Sea. Among the missiles launched were MBDA Exocet MM40 Block II and the air-to-surface missile Sea Skua.

RMN vessels involved in the manoeuvres which began July 1 and ended July 18 included frigates and corvettes. Navy Chief Admiral Mohd Reza Mohd Sany said the missiles launched during the exercise were on target, proving the effectiveness and battle-readiness of our combatants and personnel manning them. The Navy’s lead capital ships which took part in the exercise were BAE Systems F2000 frigate KD Lekiu and TKMS/HDW FS1500 corvette KD Kasturi. 

Aircraft that took part in the exercise included the Navy’s Super Lynx, Royal Malaysian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKM, Airbus Helicopters H225M, and Beechcraft  B200T patrol aircraft.  Exercise Kerismas involved 12 ships,  KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, a Naval Group Scorpene-class attack  submarine and four helicopters belonging to the Navy, four RMAF aircraft and vessels from the Malaysia Coast Guard. About 3,000 personnel were involved in the exercise. Exercise Kerismas was held back to back with maritime air defence exercise Taming Sari 19/2019 staged by the Air Force. 

The country’s Boustead  Naval Shipyard is in the process of building six 3,100 tonne littoral combat ships (LCS) based on the French DCNS/Naval Group Gowind 2500 type corvette. The vessels will be armed with the new Kongsberg NSM sea skimming and coastal attack missile  and defended by the MBDA vertical launch MICA air defence missile systems.