Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd’s (BHIC) unit has bagged a contract worth RM154.3 million ($ 36 million ) from the Malaysian Minister of Defence (Mindef). The company said Boustead DCNS Naval Corp Sdn Bhd (BDNC) yesterday accepted Mindef’s letter awarding the company a contract for the provision of in-service support for Prime Minister’s (2000 type Scorpene) class submarines for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). Amid adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy, the group takes a cautiously optimistic view towards its business prospects. The maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) works are ongoing at lower capacity following the safety and health procedures issued by the Ministry of Health (MoH).
BDNC is a joint venture company between BHIC Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (60%), a wholly owned subsidiary of BHIC, and Naval Group (40%). Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC) is one of six (6) sectors that Boustead Group has an interest in. BHIC itself is actively involve in shipbuilding, ship repairs, heavy engineering and defence related activities. . Boustead DCNS Naval Corporation (BDNC) was set up in June 2009 to enhance the Malaysian strategic self-reliance and local participation. Up to now, more than 30 local companies have been involved and operate in the Submarine maintenance activities.
This new agreement makes it possible to extend the through-life support time for the two 2000 type Scorpène submarines currently in service before the beginning of their first major maintenance campaign. This cooperation with the Royal Malaysian Navy offers BDNC the opportunity to play an important role in helping Malaysia to maintain and develop a submarine force. BDNC is completely committed to allow Malaysia to be in the exclusive club of navies with a submarine force. These two DCNS products were delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy respectively in January and October 2009. The two 67.5 m long submarines displacing 1,550 tons are operated by a Malaysian crew of 31 and have an endurance of 45 days.
In 2002, Malaysia ordered two Scorpène-class boats worth US$1.2 billion. Both boats Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak commissioned by Royal Malaysian Navy in 2009. The Scorpène-class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarines jointly developed by the French Direction des Constructions Navales (DCNS) and the Spanish company Navantia, and now by Naval Group. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion (AIP). The Scorpène class of submarines has four subtypes: the CM-2000 conventional diesel-electric version, the AM-2000 air-independent propulsion (AIP) derivative, the downsized CA-2000 coastal submarine, and the enlarged S-BR for the Brazilian Navy, without AIP.
