Not true, minister says on A-G’s 2035 projection for LCS 1

Defence Minister Khaled Nordin has refuted the Auditor-General's projection that the first littoral combat ship (LCS 1) would only commence operations in December 2035. The projection, as stated in the Auditor-General's Report 2/2026, was based on the missile contract with Norwegian defence firm Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which was subsequently cancelled by Norway.

Khaled clarified that this timeframe is no longer valid, as Malaysia is now exploring alternative missile deals with Korea, Turkey, and France, which would significantly reduce the delivery time to just three years. He emphasized that the LCS 1 will still be armed with various weapons systems, including surface-to-air missiles, surface-to-sea missiles, electromagnetic warfare systems, and a combat management system, capable of countering threats and integrating with the ship's radar and tracking systems.

The air force could also assist in targeting threats from greater distances due to the absence of the surface-to-surface missile system. Malaysia is seeking over RM1 billion in compensation from Kongsberg for the cancelled missile system, initially ordered under a 2018 contract for six LCS vessels. The Auditor-General's report found that the LCS 1 could be delivered unarmed by December 2026 and fully operational by December 2035, as the project was behind schedule by 7.55% across all five ships, with delays ranging from 30 to 108 days.