Malaysia Inks Missile Deals
MALAYSIA has signed deals valued around US$285 million for procurement, including several types of strike missiles and ordnance. The top items among a dozen procurement deals were surface-to-air missiles (SAM) from MBDA and LIG Defense & Aerospace along with surface-to-surface missiles/anti-ship missiles (SSM/ASM) from Roketsan though specific models were not mentioned in the defence ministry’s release.
European firm MBDA was awarded a letter of intent (LOI) for 29 units of SAMs, possibly the VL MICA for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme with an estimated value around US$127m. Armaments of the class include a Bofors 57mm main gun, 30mm guns, Kongsberg anti-ship (ASM) and land-attack Naval Strike Missiles (NSM), 16 cells of vertically launched SAMs, torpedoes, Thales SMART-S Mk2 radar and Kingklip sonar along with Naval Group’s SETIS Combat Management System (CMS). Thales’ CAPTAS-2 towed variable depth sonars and Vigile 100 Mk2 radar electronic support measure (RESM) systems are also onboard.
According to South Korean media reports, LIG Defense & Aerospace was then awarded a contract for 48 K-SAAM SAMs for the RMN’s Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) programme. Valued at an estimated US$94m, this marks the first export success of the K-SAAM missile, also known as the “Haegung” which was developed by South Korea’s state-run Agency for Defense Development (ADD) to intercept aerial threats.
Following that, Turkiye’s Roketsan received a US$93m contract for 24 SSMs which is likely the ATMACA Malaysia opted to procure three ADA-class design corvettes from Turkiye’s STM, with the first LMSB2 vessel expected to be completed and launched before mid-2026 and slated for handover to the RMN by the end of 2027. The LMS can be tasked with a wide range of duties including ASUW, AAW, Asymmetric Warfare (ASYW) and EW, drawing upon the capabilities of the most advanced Sensors & Weapons Suite and Command & Control System.
The acquisitions are under an umbrella of 24 strategic instruments, including Industrial Collaboration Programmes (ICP) aimed at enhancing the armed forces’ operational readiness.
Defence minister Khaled Nordin said the procurement would ensure naval vessels are equipped to address security challenges in the South China Sea and safeguard national waters.
“Malaysia is surrounded by key sea lanes, including the Straits of Malacca, the South China Sea, the Sulawesi Sea and the Sulu Sea. As such, naval vessels must be equipped with appropriate capabilities. For this reason, a significant number of SSMs and SAMs for these ships,” the minister said at a press conference.