Procurement of LMS necessary to replace ageing vessels currently used by RMN

KUALA LUMPUR: The procurement of Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) from China is necessary to replace the ageing and high maintenance vessels currently being used by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said many of the RMN armada have been in operation for more than 30 years and not cost effective to be used anymore.
He also dismissed claims of the exorbitant cost to procure the four LMS, stating that the value to build the ships are estimated to be around RM1 billion.
"The current armada is currently beyond the age of 30. Therefore, the operational cost increases every year," he said.
"The procurement is important to ensure RMN's assets are capable to perform operational duties continuously," he told Dewan Rakyat during the Minister's Question Time.
He was replying to Datuk Raime Unggi (BN - Tenom) who asked the importance of LMS purchase following a memorandum of understanding between Malaysia and China.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak had announced the purchase of four LMs during his recent official visit to China.
However, some had raised allegations that the procurement and construction of the ships would cost Malaysia RM3 billion.
Hishammuddin said the construction of the ships would be handled by Malaysian firm Boustead Naval Shipyard and China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company from China.
He added the bilateral cooperation would improve the ability of local firm to become more competitive in defence industry.
"Many of the our current threats coming from non-state actors such as the Islamic State," he said.
"This has made the LMS as a priority to strengthen the RMN," he added.
He said RMN assets that were no longer cost effective would be unaccredited and decommissioned.
"It would be decommissioned in phases based on the current government policies," he added.