First LCS delivery pushed to April 2027 as five-ship project lags target

Malaysia's first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), KD Maharaja Lela, now set for delivery in April 2027, marks a delay from the initial December 2026 deadline. The RM11.227 billion five-ship programme remains 9.19 percentage points behind schedule, with overall progress at 80.72% as of September 25, trailing the planned 89.91%, according to the Defence Ministry.

Construction lags across all five vessels, with completion rates standing at 86.78% for LCS1, 82.76% for LCS2, 75.84% for LCS3, 65.48% for LCS4, and 56.82% for LCS5. The RMN is in the final stage of evaluating three surface-to-surface missile options to potentially replace the Naval Strike Missile, with a final decision pending on operational needs, integration, cost, and procurement timelines.