Kuala lumpur: South Korean naval giant HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) "15-to-5" Transformation Plan through the offering of specialised naval platforms and comprehensive technology transfer.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, HHI sales manager Jewon Yun stated that the company has proposed five platforms aligned with the RMN's 15-to-5 transformation plan, specifically emphasising the HDL-10,000 variant as a solution that meets all modernised requirements. "The HDL-10,000 variant is HHI's solution for the Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) requirement, which is one of the five core classes under the navy's plan," he told Bernama when met at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2026 exhibition here today.
Yun highlighted that the platform is designed for high-capacity sea-lift operations, capable of transporting 18 main battle tanks, three armoured support vehicles, 150 crew members, and 580 troops. The vessel is also fitted with a medical facility consisting of an operating room, ward, consultation room, laboratory, and X-ray imaging based on NATO Doctrine Role 2, making it apt for both military and humanitarian missions.
He further stated that HHI's strategy in Malaysia is closely aligned with the "Berdikari" (self-reliance) policy advocated by the Malaysian government. "Our future goal is to establish a capability in Malaysian shipyards so that those shipyards can build the MRSS by themselves in the future, achieving 'Berdikari,'" Yun explained.
To support this objective, HHI has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM) for human capital development. Besides the MRSS, Yun mentioned that HHI is also targeting the Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch 3 programme with its HDP-1500 Neo model to further aid the fleet's consolidation.
Yun also pointed out HHI's robust regional track record, having secured contracts for 12 vessels with the Philippines and a recent four-vessel agreement with the Peruvian Navy. "Since we have a proven record of transfer of technology to the Peruvian Navy, we are very confident that we can transfer our technology in a very effective way to the Malaysian Navy," Yun added.
The "15-to-5" Transformation Plan is a strategic restructuring programme by the RMN aimed at consolidating its ageing and diverse fleet of 15 different ship classes into five streamlined, modern categories to enhance operational efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.