Kuala Lumpur: The Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) capability to defend national waters will be significantly enhanced with the procurement of five Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and three Littoral Mission Ships (LMS), scheduled to begin next year, said Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari. He said construction progress for both classes of vessels was satisfactory, with the first LCS expected to be delivered in August next year and the LMS fleet in 2027.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the government remains committed to enhancing the navy's capabilities by equipping it with new assets. Adly stated that the ships would be fitted with advanced technology to meet defence needs. He shared these insights with reporters after launching a digital studio at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) TUDM Subang. Adly addressed a report highlighting the challenges faced by the RMN due to its ageing combat fleet.

Adly added that the first LCS is undergoing port and sea trials, while construction of the LMS is underway following the finalisation of its procurement from Turkish defence firm Savunma Teknolojileri Mhendislik in June last year.

Meanwhile, Adly mentioned that the new digital studio at SK TUDM Subang, under the Affin Digital Space programme, is part of the Ministry of Defence's initiative to digitalise schools located in army camps. The studio is equipped with green screen technology, allowing students and teachers to engage in media-based programmes with creative digital content.

SK TUDM Subang is the second school to be involved in the initiative, following a similar studio launch at SK KEMENTAH in Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. The next rollout is scheduled for June at SK Sir Sultan Ibrahim in Kluang, Johor. Adly noted that the digital studios at these three schools are made possible through an RM94,000 contribution from Affin Bank, with aspirations to expand the initiative to all 27 schools located in camps nationwide.

Also present at the launch were Affin Bank Berhad Group's chief executive officer of Community Banking, Mohammad Fairuz Mohd Radi, and SK TUDM Subang headmistress, Zatul Bazamah Abu Bakar.