On July 11, 2024, the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS) marked a major achievement in its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program with the successful installation of the Mast and Radome aboard LCS1. This development underscores LUNAS’s commitment to advancing this crucial national defense project. The newly installed mast is an impressive structure, weighing 7 tonnes and extending 21 meters from the radome’s base to the tip of its lightning rod. This assembly is not just a physical feat but a technological triumph, incorporating advanced systems essential for the LCS’s operational effectiveness. The mast features a suite of state-of-the-art technologies, including Radar Electronic Support Measures (RESM), Communication Electronic Support Measures (CESM), Communication Antennas, Navigation Lights, Navigation Sensors, and a Lightning Protection System. Installation of the Navigation Radar is expected to follow shortly.
The radome, designed by the renowned Naval Group (NG), facilitates optimal transmission of the Main Surveillance Radar (MSR), which was installed beneath it on April 22, 2024. Both the mast and radome are engineered to meet stringent Radar Cross-Section (RCS) requirements, enhancing the LCS’s Electronic Warfare (EW) capabilities and ensuring superior performance in complex maritime environments. The Royal Malaysian Navy initially considered the Thales Herakles radar, a technology utilized on FREMM frigates. However, BHIC has selected the Thales SMART-S Mk2 radar for their new frigates. These advanced ships will also be equipped with a suite of sophisticated sensors, including the Naval Group SETIS combat system, Thales SMART-S Mk2 search radar, and the Rheinmetall TMEO Mk2 fire control radar complemented by the TMX/EO Mk2. Additionally, the frigates will feature the Thales CAPTAS-2 ASW suite, incorporating both hull-mounted and towed array sonar systems.
The Littoral Combat Ship, also known as the Maharaja Lela-class frigate, represents a significant advancement for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN). Initially announced in 2011 as the Second Generation Patrol Vessel, and later renamed and taken over by the government to become LUNAS, this class of six stealth frigates is based on an enlarged version of the Gowind-class corvette, designed by Naval Group (formerly DCNS of France). The contract stipulates that Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation (BHIC) will construct all six ships at a ceiling price of RM9 billion (US$2.8 billion), with construction having commenced in 2015. Upon completion, these 111-meter-long frigates, with a displacement of 3,100 tonnes, will be the largest and most modern surface combatants in the RMN’s fleet, surpassing the capabilities of the Lekiu-class frigates. They are designed to offer advanced combat capabilities and enhanced operational flexibility.
The LCS will be equipped with a Bofors 57 mm gun mounted in a stealth cupola similar to those on the Swedish Visby-class corvettes. Additionally, the frigates will feature two MSI DS30M 30 mm cannons as secondary armament. The deck will also be fitted with 16 Sylver Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells, although the specific surface-to-air missiles have not yet been contracted as of 2019. At LIMA 2015, Kongsberg received a Letter of Award worth approximately 20 million EUR from Boustead Naval Shipyard for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), which will be integrated with the ship’s combat management system SETIS, provided by DCNS. This indicates preparations for incorporating the NSM anti-ship missiles on the LCS. For anti-submarine warfare, the LCS will be outfitted with two J+S fixed triple torpedo launchers.
