STM to build 3 corvettes for Royal Malaysian Navy in major Turkish defense deal.

According to a PR published by STM on June 10, 2024, the prominent player in the Turkish defense sector, has been commissioned to build three corvettes for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) under the "Littoral Mission Ship Batch-2 (LMSB2)" project.
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A model of the Royal Malaysian Navy's Littoral Mission Ship Batch-2 in Kuala Lumpur. (Picture source: Navy Recognition)

The announcement was made during a ceremony at the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye in Ankara on June 10. The event saw attendance from high-profile figures including Malaysia's Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün of the Turkish Defence Industry Agency, STM Chairman Prof. Dr. İhsan Kaya, and STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz, alongside representatives from both nations' defense sectors.

Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün emphasized the strategic importance of the LMS Batch-2 project, stating it marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between Türkiye and Malaysia in naval defense. He highlighted that this project aligns with Malaysia's '15 to 5 Transformation Program' and will enhance the capabilities of the RMN.

Malaysia's Defence Minister, Mohamed Khaled Nordin, underscored the historic nature of the agreement, which includes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on G2G Procurement for Defence Products and the official handover of the Letter of Acceptance for the corvettes.

STM's General Manager Özgür Güleryüz outlined the project details, affirming that the construction of the three ADA-Class corvettes will commence this year with an expected completion time of 3.5 years. These vessels will be equipped with advanced weapon systems, sensors, and command and control systems.

The corvettes will be constructed in Türkiye, involving collaboration with leading Turkish defense companies such as ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, and ROKETSAN. STM will oversee all phases of the project, from design to delivery, ensuring the integration of cutting-edge technologies.

Turkey-Malaysia relations

The naval relationship between Turkey and Malaysia has deepened significantly through various defense collaborations. A notable aspect of this relationship is the procurement of UAV technology, with Malaysia acquiring three Anka-S unmanned aerial vehicles from Turkish Aerospace for maritime surveillance missions in the South China Sea.

This deal, signed during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in 2023. Turkish Aerospace is currently assembling these UAVs, with Malaysian personnel involved in overseeing the process​.

Bilateral defense agreements further solidify the relationship, focusing on areas like coastal radar surveillance, military communications, and UAV technology.