KUALA LUMPUR: The final phase of construction for the first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is set to be completed by the end of this year, according to the Ministry of Defence.
The ministry said the ship would then undergo tests such as the Harbour Acceptance Test (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Trial (SAT) by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) over a two-year period.
“As for the second LCS, it will be launched into the water before undergoing HAT and SAT in mid-2025,“ the ministry said in a written reply published on the Parliament website.
This was in response to a question from Ahmad Tarmizi Sulaiman (PN-Sik) regarding the government’s plans to expedite the construction of LCS vessels to address increasing external threats to Malaysia’s economic zones and islands in the South China Sea.
The ministry added that the procurement of the LCS is proceeding in accordance with the schedule outlined in the contract.
As of Aug 25, the overall progress of the LCS programme, including design, construction, equipment and testing, stands at 69.58 per cent, slightly surpassing the planned schedule of 69.5 per cent.
