Naval News obtained updates on the progress of Malaysia’s Littoral Combat Ship program directly from the program director at Lumut Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd.
The Program Director of the Littoral Combat Ship program at Lumut Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, Capt. (Rtd) Rosnizam Che Puteh, told Naval News during the 2025 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition that the May 8 down slip of the second Littoral Combat Ship, Raja Muda Nala, was carried out as scheduled. A formal launch and naming ceremony for Raja Muda Nala will take place during the first week of July, with the royal family of Selangor to attend.
Capt. Rosnizam said that Raja Muda Nala’s name was requested by the Captain-in-Chief of the Royal Malaysian Navy, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor. Raja Muda Nala is named after the eldest son of the first Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sallehuddin Shah, with Raja Muda Nala dying in 1795 while on a mission providing military assistance to the Aceh Sultanate.
Capt. Rosnizam added that most major systems have now been installed on LCS 1 Maharaja Lela as its fitting out continues ahead of sea trials in November. The search radar of Maharaja Lela had been powered on and tested for the first time during the week before the exhibition, while a full system “power on test” is expected to take place in August ahead of an integrated combat systems test in September.
Also present at LUNAS’ exhibit were two models of Maharaja Lela made from Lego bricks, one completed and the other partially assembled and open to visitors to join in completing. According to Capt. Rosnizam, the Lego models are intended to encourage public interest in the progress LUNAS has made on the Littoral Combat Ships since the restart of the program in 2023, with the models remaining on display when the exhibition halls were opened to the public.
Additionally, Malaysia’s defense ministry announced during the 2025 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition that it had signed a letter of intent for integrated logistic support and trials aid worth RM 800 million (approximately 190 million US$) for the Littoral Combat Ship program.
Also taking place during the exhibition was an exchange of documents between LUNAS and Turkish shipbuilder STM on a memorandum of understanding for future collaboration on ship maintenance and overhaul work for the Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 once they are delivered.
KD Maharaja Lela (2501) main specifications
Displacement: 3,100 tons full load
Length: 111 m (364 ft 2 in)
Beam: 16 m (52 ft 6 in)
Draught: 3.85 m (12 ft 8 in)
Propulsion: CODAD
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h)
Range: 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 138 sailors
Weapon systems:
- Main gun: 1 × Bofors 57 mm gun
- Secondary gun: 2 × MSI DS30M 30 mm cannon
- SAM: N/A
- ASM: 8 × Naval Strike Missile SSM
- Torpedo: 2 × triple SEA torpedo launcher
