Malaysia is set to purchase a multipurpose mission ship, or MPMS, for the Malaysian Coast Guard under a $68.8 million contract with Desan Shipyard. Kuala Lumpur signed a letter of acceptance for the vessel’s procurement on Friday, Breaking Defense reported.
The announcement followed a visit by a Malaysian delegation to Desan, led by Awang Alik bin Jeman, secretary-general of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The minister called the vessel “an important asset” to enhancing the military’s maritime enforcement.
The MPMS purchase was initiated in a memorandum of understanding in a February signing ceremony attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Naval News reported.
Patrol Vessel Features
According to the Naval News report, the Malaysian Coast Guard expects to have the 99-meter ship in full operation by the first quarter of 2027. The vessel is designed for a 70-man crew with space for an additional 30 passengers. It has a seaborne patrol capability of up to 30 days and will come with four fast interceptor boats and two unmanned aerial vehicles. Its facilities include a helicopter flight deck, medical facilities and a detention center.
Besides Desan Shipyard, another Turkish shipbuilder, STM, signed an MOU with Kuala Lumpur in June to supply the Royal Malaysian Navy with three littoral mission ships.
Serhat Suha Çubukcuoglu, a geopolitical strategist at Trends Research & Advisory in Abu Dhabi, told Breaking Defense that the current Malaysian naval upgrades address an “aging fleet,” with vessels dating back to the 1970s and 1980s that are ill-equipped in the current rapid evolution of maritime security.