STM, Türkiye's engineering power in the seas, launched the first of three corvettes built for the Royal Malaysian Navy, named TUNKU LAKSAMANA ABDUL JALIL, at a ceremony held in Istanbul. This project holds the distinction of being Türkiye's first corvette export to the Asia-Pacific region.
LMS Batch-2 Project: Delivery in 2027
The story of the three corvettes, built under the main contractor STM for the Royal Malaysian Navy's Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch-2 programme, began with a government-to-government memorandum signed in Ankara on June 10, 2024. The steel-cutting ceremony took place in December 2024, and the ships are planned to be delivered to the Malaysian Navy by the end of 2027.
The total cost of the project has been announced as $544 million, with STM acting as the main contractor responsible for all phases from design and performance to construction and delivery. The ships are being built in Türkiye with intense participation from Turkish defence industry companies.
Ada Class Design, Advanced Weapon Systems
The new corvettes are based on the Ada Class (MİLGEM) design, which is currently in service with the Turkish Naval Forces and has also been built for the navies of Pakistan and Ukraine. The ships have a length of 99.56 metres and a displacement of approximately 2,500 tonnes, reaching a maximum speed of 26 knots and a range of 4,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 14 knots.
Each corvette has a crew capacity of 111 and the ability to operate at sea for 14 days without logistical support. The ships feature a helicopter deck and hangar, as well as facilities for unmanned aerial vehicles.
The ships are also highly ambitious in terms of weapon and sensor systems. They will be equipped with an Italian Leonardo-made 76 mm main gun, an ASELSAN-produced SMASH 30 mm remotely controlled stabilised gun system, ROKETSAN's ATMACA anti-ship missiles, and South Korean-made Haegung (K-SAAM) air defence missiles. The sensor package includes the ASELSAN CENK 3D search radar, the ARES-2N electronic warfare system, the AKREP fire control radar, and the GENESIS combat management system developed by HAVELSAN.
Malaysia's Naval Modernisation
The Royal Malaysian Navy is renewing its ageing platforms within the scope of a fleet modernisation programme called "15 to 5". The LMS Batch-2 programme follows the Batch-1, which consisted of Keris-class ships previously procured from China. However, due to the limited size and weapon capacity of the Batch-1 ships, Malaysia sought a larger and more capable platform for the second batch.
Malaysia's preference for STM in this search was shaped by the proven NATO-standard performance of the Ada Class and Türkiye's competitive price and delivery time advantage. STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz stated in recent months, "With the three corvettes we developed based on the Ada Class design for the Royal Malaysian Navy, we have signed the first corvette export of our country to the Asia-Pacific region."
STM's Growing Export Portfolio
The Malaysian project is the latest addition to STM's growing international portfolio. The company is currently building surface and underwater platforms for the navies of Ukraine, Pakistan, and Portugal, in addition to the Turkish Naval Forces. The fleet replenishment tanker built for the Pakistan Navy and the Ada Class corvettes produced for Ukraine are among STM's export projects.
STM's relations with Malaysia are not limited to shipbuilding. The company also exhibited tactical mini UAV systems such as KARGU, TOGAN, and BOYGA, alongside its naval platforms, at the LIMA Fair held in Langkawi on May 20-24, 2025.
