RMN TO ACQUIRE NEW ASSETS TO ENHANCE SECURITY IN M'SIAN WATERS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) plans to
upgrade some of its existing assets and acquire new ones to enhance security
operations in the nation's waters.

RMN chief Admiral Abdul Aziz Jaafar said among the plans were to
upgrade its patrol vessels and procure littoral combat ships (LCS), three
multi-role support ships (MRSS) and six more anti-submarine helicopters.

He disclosed this at a special interview with the media in conjunction with
RMN's 76th anniversary celebration Tuesday. Also present was his deputy, Vice-
Admiral Mohammed Noordin Ali.

Abdul Aziz said the plans had been forwarded to the government through the
Defence Ministry recently, and they were seen as important in modernising the
nation's defence assets for the future.

On the upgrading of RMN's patrol vessels, he said it would be done using the
latest technology before handing over the vessels to the Malaysian Maritime
Enforcement Agency.


He said to replace the patrol vessels, RMN planned to procure littoral
combat ships with high-powered diesel engines supplemented by gas turbines for
better speed.

Abdul Aziz said the LCS are relatively small surface vessels for operations
in the littoral zone (close to shore) and could be upgraded by incorporating
anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warefare capability.

As for the three MRSS planned to be procured, he said the vessels would be
used to assist disaster relief and international peacekeeping operations.

Abdul Aziz said the targeted displacement was up to 18,000 tonnes and with a
landing platform dock (LPD) or landing helicopter dock (LHD).

"The LPD is suitable for our needs and is cheaper," he said.

"There is no point having a big vessel but cannot be accommodated at
our ports...so we focus on deployment and HADR (humanitarian assistant disaster
relief."

On the issue of hijacking of ships, Abdul Aziz said the BM5 Operation, a
strategic collaboration between RMN and the Malaysian International Shipping
Corporation (MISC), had ensured that no such undesirable incidents had befallen
Malaysian merchant ships plying the Gulf of Aden.

On RMN's 76th anniversary celebration, Abdul Aziz said it would be held on a
modest scale to remind the RMN community and the public of its history and
achievements since its establishment on April 27, 1934.

-- BERNAMA