On December 4, 2024, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) officially commenced the construction of its Littoral Mission Ship Batch-2 (LMSB2) at Istanbul Shipyard in Türkiye. Under the LMSB2 project, three ships will be constructed based on the Ada-class corvette design, which was selected through an agreement between Malaysia and Türkiye in June 2024. This corvette is already operational in the navies of Türkiye and Pakistan, with additional ships currently under construction for the Ukrainian Navy. The Ada-class design supports multi-role operations, including anti-surface warfare (ASuW), anti-air warfare (AAW), asymmetric warfare (ASYW), and electronic warfare (EW).
Other options, including South Korea’s HDC-2000 design by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Italy’s FCX15 design by Fincantieri, were considered for the LMSB2 program. However, the Turkish Ada-class corvette design was ultimately selected for its operational performance, compatibility with Malaysia’s requirements, and its ability to integrate future naval subsystems from over 50 Turkish defense companies. STM, the project’s main contractor, is responsible for all phases, including design, project management, material procurement, assembly, testing, and integrated logistics support (ILS). This marks Malaysia’s first defense acquisition through a government-to-government memorandum of understanding (G2G) with another country. STM’s previous experience with Ada-class corvettes for Türkiye, Pakistan, and Ukraine likely influenced this decision.
The Ada-class corvette was originally developed under Türkiye’s MILGEM program to meet requirements for anti-submarine warfare, patrol, and maritime surveillance. It features stealth technology, a low radar cross-section, and distributed sensors and weapons systems. The LMSB2 configuration integrates these capabilities while incorporating modifications to meet RMN’s operational needs. The LMSB2 project is a significant component of RMN’s efforts to enhance maritime capabilities, providing flexible operational capacity and effective security for Malaysia’s extensive maritime domain.