Kuala Lumpur: The government’s strategy in enhancing the readiness and acquisition of new assets for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) to replace obsolete assets is translated through the implementation of the RMN 15to5 Transformation Plan Alignment (Platform), said Deputy Defence Minister Adly Zahari. He stated that the programme took into account RMN’s capability gaps, modernisation, increasing the capability of assets as well as the country’s financial challenges as an effort to restore RMN as a credible navy.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Adly noted that the transformation plan has also been aligned with the development of the capabilities of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) as outlined in the Defence White Paper (KPP), National Military Strategy (SKN) 2.0 and Future Force Development (AMH). He explained that the capability development implemented by the RMN is based on the six characteristics of AMH, namely togetherness, interoperability, technology-based, mission-oriented, logistical efficiency and the ability to operate in two regions.

In this plan, the RMN has planned to acquire several important assets through the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMK12) up to and including the 15th Malaysia Plan (RMK15). Among the assets currently under construction are the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2). Adly mentioned this during a question and answer session at the Dewan Negara, responding to a query from Senator Datuk Nelson W Angang regarding the government’s strategy in increasing military readiness, including the acquisition of new RMN assets to replace obsolete assets.

In addition, Adly highlighted several new assets planned for acquisition through the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), namely the Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS), Littoral Mission Ship Batch 3 (LMSB3), Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters and maritime operations helicopters (HOM).