Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV)

Malaysia’s SPGV-LCS was similar to the Gowind corvette, but rather larger, actually a frigate. The ship was picked in January 2012. Ancillary contracts had been signed by 2014, but the main contract was pending while Malaysia prepared a local shipbuilding firm to execute it. Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) was awarded the $2.8 billion contract in 2011, but it only went into effect on July 14, 2014 after completion of a major upgrade of the Lumut shipyard, Malaysia's main naval base on the coast of Perak facing the Strait of Malacca. Construction of the lead ship was to start in March 2015, with delivery tentatively planned for 2019.

Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar announced 28 December 2010 that with the LOI issued to Boustead Naval Shipyard, the second generation patrol vessel project (SGPV) should commence in 2012. The Navy was not consistent with the name of the project as it seemed it could easily alternate between LCS and SGPV depending on the wind.

In January 2012, South Africa’s DefenceWeb reported that DCNS and its local submarine & surface ship partner, Boustead Naval Shipyard, had been picked for a $2.8 billion program to supply 6 Gowind family ships to Malaysia, which would have been the type’s first paid order.

The government issued a letter of intent to Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd for the building of six second generation petrol vessels under a program starting in 2012, Chief of Navy Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar said 28 December 2010. The additional vessels will ease the asset restraint that the Royal Malaysian Navy have had to endure since surrendering 17 of its ships to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, he said when launching KD Selangor, the sixth RMN patrol vessel, at the base there. KD Selangor was the last ship ordered under a program which started in 1999. The other vessels are KD Kedah and KD Pahang, based in Kota Kinabalu, and KD Perak and KD Terengganu, in Kuantan.

Embarking on the next phase of the project, in 2013 BN Shipyard furthered discussions with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defence on the project’s scope of supply. The procurement process for the main equipment was set to be finalised soon, keeping in mind the long lead nature of these projects. The Lumut shipyard began upgrading the infrastructure and facilities in preparation for the physical construction of the LCS. The Division was impacted by a downward revision in profit margin for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project.

The development of the basic design of the LCS was also underway, following the completion of the concept design stage. In tandem with this, the integration and software development of the LCS combat management system had been entrusted to Contraves Advanced Devices Sdn Bhd (CAD). Its Cyberjaya plant which would be the nerve centre for this component of the project was awarded MSC Malaysia status. Other areas to be developed at the facility include combat system engineering training and maritime training services.

Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) received an order on 17 July 2014 to construct six Second Generation Patrol Vessels with Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) capability for the Royal Malaysian Navy. According to Bursa Malaysia Berhad, the company finalized the negotiations with The Ministry of Defence Malaysia (MoD) and signed a formal agreement with a value of RM9 billion (USD 2.8 billion). Under the contract BNS will design, construct, equip, commission, integrate, conduct tests and trials, and deliver the vessels to the Navy. The delivery of the first ship was expected in 2017, and will be followed by additional deliveries every six months, The Edge Malaysia reported.

The RMN’s LCS will have a length of 111 meters and a displacement of 3,100 tons. The 6 vessels will be fitted with 57mm Mark 3 main guns with stealth cupola from BAE Systems Bofors. The combat management system is the SETIS by DCNS, the Fire Control Systems provided by Rheinmetall, and the engines provided by MTU. There will be two 30mm remote weapon stations by MSI. Thales announced that it has signed a Letter of Award with Contraves Advanced Devices Sdn. Bhd. to supply six SMART-S Mk2 naval surveillance radar systems, as well as six CAPTAS-2 towed sonar systems for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV) Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

In August 2014 the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) unveiled for the first time an official rendering of its future Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) – Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SGPV). The vessel is based on DCNS’ Gowind Combat corvette design. First ship of the class was set to be floated out into the water in December 2018.

In 2015 Malaysia's Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd disclosed that VL MICA had been confirmed as the point defence missile system for the Royal Malaysian Navy's six-ship Second-Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship (SGPV-LCS) program. Malaysia and Singapore joined Egypt, Morocco, Oman and the United Arab Emirates, all of which previously specified the naval variant of the VL MICA system.

On 12 June 2015 Boustead Naval Shipyard reported that Construction activity, integration and testing of the LCS will be conducted entirely in Lumut, where construction will be done in modular shipbuilding and improved on every level. The first ship was expected to be delivered in April 2019 where the next ships every 10 months thereafter.

Laksamana Datuk Seri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said 26 April 2016 six new Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), which is bigger and faster than the Littoral Mission Ships (LMS), would also be received by the RMN between 2019 and 2023. The ships were acquired under the 11th and 12th Malaysia Plans and built by Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd. “With the new ships in place, the RMN will be able to beef up its armada combat capabilities as the number of combat vessels would be 10, instead of four previously,” he added.

It was reported that the six ships, estimated to be worth RM9bil, would be equipped with superior four-dimensional warfare capabilities for electronic, air, surface and underwater threats integrated with state-of-the-art systems. It also has stealth capability which reduces radar reflection to minimise visibility and detection and it is also capable of rapid launch and recovery of boats.

Among the main features of the ship is to have a maximum speed of 28 knots with an overall length of the vessel of 111 meters and is equipped with a number of major weapon systems such as torpedo, the anti-surface missile launcher system, the anti-airborne missile launcher system, and medium caliber cannon to enhance security in the waters of the State.

The Council Laying the keel of the vessel Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) was successfully held in a new BN Shipyard in Hangar on 08 March 2016. All six LCS worth RM9 billion, will be the largest warships in the fleet in Malaysia and will be equipped with the ability to engage in anti-air warfare, electronic, anti-submarine and surface warfare.

The ceremony was attended by Defense Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and Chief of Navy, Datuk Seri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin. Shipyard BN chairman Tan Sri Dato 'Seri Lodin Wok Kamaruddin Bin and managing director, Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor were present at this historic event.

Defense Minister officially launched the keel laying for hull 3 blocks consisting of sub-blocks 08B, 06B and 07 of the ship above the keel block LCS1 in Hangar Area 77 after the work conducted in blasting and painting a new Chamber Blasting. The first LCS ship is expected to be completed in early 2019, with the ships which in turn should be completed in a period of 10 months thereafter.

The ceremony was also attended by 250 guests, particularly by senior management MINDEF and senior officers of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) including Navy LCS Project Team based here. Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor in his speech said the BN Shipyard has made important contributions in improving the navy's assets in general. Followed by the Ministry of Defense said the LCS project shows the government's dedication to strengthening the capacity of the armed forces, even in challenging economic conditions.