In an important development for the naval defense industry, Malaysia announced its willingness to procure warships from Turkey within the scope of the LMS Batch 2 tender. This decision, announced by Malaysian Defense Minister Mohammad Hassan during a presentation, indicates a cooperation between Malaysian and Turkish companies in the field of defense industry.
Turkish companies participating in the warship export tender include STM, ASFAT and Dearsan.
However, according to DefenseTurk, the details of the winning bid and the number of warships to be purchased have not yet been announced.
STM had previously proven themselves by achieving important milestones in the field of shipbuilding with its success in Ukraine’s MİLGEM corvette procurement project, and ASFAT with its contribution in the PN MİLGEM project. Dearsan’s entry into the tender with the C92 corvette design adds a new layer of competition to the tender process.
According to reports by Defense Security Asia, the Royal Malaysian Navy aims to purchase three LMS Batch 2 warships this year and plans to purchase five more ships in the following period. The potential cooperation marks a strategic move for both countries and provides an opportunity for Turkey to showcase its expertise in ship manufacturing and supply while increasing Malaysia’s naval capabilities.
Interestingly, Malaysia is also considering the supply of ADA class corvettes originally built for Ukraine. The news suggests that given Ukraine’s inability to deploy the ships as intended, Malaysia may consider purchasing them, possibly compensating for Ukraine’s deviation from the original plan. It is anticipated that this strategic change will save the Malaysian Navy three years in the procurement process.
The MILGEM design of Turkish origin gained international recognition with the four ADA class corvettes initially built for the Turkish Navy. Later adaptations of the design on behalf of the Pakistan Navy, including modifications such as 12 vertical launch systems for the Sea Ceptor air defense system, also demonstrate the flexibility and versatility of the MİLGEM platform.
Ukraine becoming the second country to order MİLGEM ships further emphasizes the global appeal and adaptability of Turkish naval defense industry technology. What are you thinking? Please don’t forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments.