Ridzwan Rahmat, Singapore – Jane’s Navy International 04 November 2019
Key Points
- The delivery of Malaysia’s first Maharaja Lela-class littoral combat ship has been delayed to 2023
- The troubled programme is also facing a cost overrun of about MYR1.4 billion
Malaysia’s Maharaja Lela (Gowind)-class littoral combat ship (LCS) programme is facing a cost overrun of about MYR1.4 billion (USD340 million), and the project will be delayed by several more years.
The matter was revealed by Malaysia’s Minister of Defence, Mohamad bin Sabu, in a reply to questions from parliament on 29 October. “The first ship is now delayed by 34 months, and this is a very long time”, said Mohamad, in a transcript of parliamentary proceedings retrieved from the Malaysian Hansard.
According to the minister, the LCS contract with Malaysia’s Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) came into force on 3 October 2013, and is effective until October 2023 with a stipulated spending limit of MYR9.1286 billion for all six ships.
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