Istanbul: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) needs to continue being equipped with modern and capable assets to face the increasingly complex maritime security environment, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. He emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring the RMN has the necessary capabilities to defend the sovereignty and maritime interests of the country.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohamed Khaled made these remarks during the launch of the third Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) vessel of the RMN, named Tunku Osman Jewa, which took place in Istanbul, Turkiye. The naming of the ship honors the legacy of the Kedah royal family and a former Armed Forces chief, the late General Tan Sri Tunku Osman Tunku Mohammad Jewa.

The ceremony was attended by the Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, and the Sultanah of Kedah, Sultanah Maliha Tengku Ariff. The launch of 'Tunku Osman Jewa' marks the completion of the series of three LMSB2 ships, following the launch of Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil on May 24 and Raja Laut on June 7.

Mohamed Khaled highlighted that the programme signifies the first Government-to-Government collaboration between Malaysia and Turkiye in the procurement of RMN warships. He noted that all three ships are expected to be delivered to the Royal Malaysian Navy by the end of 2027, as part of the effort to modernize the RMN fleet through the 15-to-5 Transformation Plan.