MALAYSIA’S first littoral combat ship (LCS), KD Maharaja Lela, is now scheduled for delivery in April 2027 after the contractor failed to meet its original December 2026 commitment, while construction of all five vessels remains behind target.
The Defence Ministry said overall progress on the RM11.227 billion project stood at 80.72% as at Sept 25, compared with the scheduled 89.91%.
Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS) had claimed RM8.96 billion, or 79.82% of the contract value, according to the ministry’s written parliamentary reply published on the Parliament website.
The revised delivery schedule places LCS2 in August 2027, LCS3 in December 2027, LCS4 in August 2028 and LCS5 in April 2029.
KD Maharaja Lela has entered shipyard sea trials to test and verify its performance and systems before undergoing sea acceptance trials with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN).
The ministry said the vessel had already undergone several harbour acceptance tests and preliminary sailings to assess key systems, including machinery, power generation and propulsion.
Construction progress varies across the five ships, with LCS1 at 86.78%, LCS2 at 82.76%, LCS3 at 75.84%, LCS4 at 65.48% and LCS5 at 56.82%.
The ministry also said it was in the final stage of evaluating three surface-to-surface missile options submitted by the RMN to replace the Naval Strike Missile. The assessment covers operational needs, integration with the ships, cost and procurement timelines.
A final decision will be made after an option is agreed upon and a procurement agreement is signed, the ministry said, adding that it would continue monitoring construction, testing and delivery to safeguard the navy’s operational requirements and national security. - October 27, 2026
