Istanbul: The construction of the second batch of three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) by Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM) at the Istanbul Shipyard is proceeding according to schedule. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced that the first LMS is expected to be launched next April, followed by the second in June 2026 and the third in August 2026.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamed Khaled Nordin highlighted that this construction project marks the first procurement following the signing of the government-to-government (G2G) memorandum of understanding (MoU) for defence acquisitions during his official maiden visit to Turkiye in June last year. He emphasized the importance of this project as a benchmark for the new procurement approach by the government.

The Defence Minister shared these updates with reporters after inspecting the ship construction at the Istanbul Shipyard, where he was accompanied by Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Chief Admiral Tan Sri Zulhelmy Ithnain and a delegation from the Ministry of Defence. Nordin stated that after the vessels are launched into the water, they will undergo a critical phase involving the integration of various systems, with Malaysia expected to take full delivery of the three ships by the end of 2027.

As part of the procurement, an Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP) is anticipated, which could significantly impact the local defence industry, including through technology transfer set to be finalized by the end of this year. Nordin noted that Turkiye's journey in developing its defence industry involved similar technology transfers from other countries, a path Malaysia aims to follow to strengthen its local defence capabilities and national sovereignty.

The second batch of LMS vessels for the RMN will be based on the Ada-class corvette design developed by STM, equipped for multiple roles and armed with ATMACA surface-to-surface missiles and air defence systems. Prior to this visit, Mohamed Khaled attended the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2025, a prestigious defence exhibition organized by Turkiye's Ministry of National Defence at the Istanbul Expo Centre.