Royal Malaysian Navy Gowind class Corvettes for LCS program to be fitted with stealth 57mm Guns

At the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition 2013, Navy Recognition exclusively learned that the 6 future Gowind class Corvettes (Littoral Combat Ship program) will be fitted with 57mm Mark 3 main guns with stealth cupola from BAE Systems Bofors. We also took the opportunity to get the latest updates on the Malaysian LCS program from Anuar Murad, Director of Defence and Security at Boustead Heavy Industry Corporation.

It was confirmed during LIMA that the combat management system will be the SETIS by DCNS, the Fire Control Systems will be provided by Rheinmetall, and the engines will be provided by MTU. The design seems to have increased in size with the length of the LCS now at 111 meters (compared to 107 as previously reported) with a displacement of about 3,000 tons (compared to full load displacement of 2,730 tonnes as previously announced).

Integrated with SETIS, a combat system derived from FREMM class Frigates, Gowind Combat can tackle air, surface and submarine threats. The shock-resistant platform (built according to military standards), the small radar cross-section together with an excellent acoustic signature makes it a high-performance surface combatant.

Gowind Combat can be operated by a limited crew and has been designed to offer great at-sea availability and reduced life cycle costs.

BHIC Bofors Asia Sdn Bhd, the joint venture between Boustead Heavy Industries and BAE Systems (Bofors Asia), created in 2004, is set to benefit following the award to BAE Systems of a sub-contract for the sale of six 57mm Mk 3 naval guns for the Royal Malaysian Navy in a deal worth approximately RM175m.

The contract ‘letter of award’ was granted to BAE Systems during LIMA 2013 by the systems integrator, Contraves Advanced Devices, which is a joint venture between Boustead Heavy Industries and Rheinmetall Air Defence AG.

The 57mm naval gun, designed by BAE Systems in Karlskoga, Sweden, will equip the Malaysian Navy’s Second Generation Patrol Vessel – Littoral Combat Ships (SGPV-LCS). The contract includes ammunition hoists, simulator and initial support.

The 57mm Mk 3 naval gun with stealth cupola is already fitted on the Royal Swedish Navy Visby class stealth corvettes. Like on the Visby class, the stealth cupola will greatly contribute to lower the stealth signature of the Malaysian Gowind corvettes. An engineer from BHIC Bofors Asia SDN. BHD. told us during LIMA 2013 that the shape of the stealth cupola for the Gowind Corvettes will slightly differ from the one found on the Visby class to maximize the stealth characteristics of the corvette designed by DCNS.

Scorpene submarines are fully operational, Navy chief reiterates

Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) chief, Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar has again reiterated that the Scorpene submarines are well maintained and capable of carrying out operations to maintain national security.

In fact, he said, the submarines had carried out numerous operations under his instructions.

“The matter is most regretful. I call on the people concerned to stop making these wild allegations,” he told a media group who were taken on a visit to the Kota Kinabalu RMN Base on Sunday and Monday.

The media group were also taken on a tour of the Scorpene submarines which were purchased from France at a price of RM3.4 billion. The submarines were named KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Razak.

Abdul Aziz was commenting on the statement by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi earlier that the action of several groups, particularly the opposition, who frequently disputed the acquisition of the national defence assets would only have a negative impact on the country’s security forces.

A crewmember of the KD Tun Razak submarine, Lieutenant Commander Saidin Ibrahim, 31, said he had long heard of allegations by the opposition that the submarines were not capable of carrying out operations.

He said the false accusation had in fact inspired him to prove to the parties concerned that Malaysia had acquired a valuable asset for the defence of the nation after he had undergone a four-year submarine training stint in France.

“I was among the crew members involved in the operation to bring home the KD Tun Razak submarine which took 60 days with five stopovers from France. It was brought home with 100 per cent local crew and had operated well,” he said.