Malaysia Selects NSM and VL Mica for Littoral Combat Ships

LANGKAWI, -- The Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM) anti-ship missile and MBDA VL Mica point defence missile system will equip Malaysia's Second Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ship (SGPV-LCS), Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) sources have told IHS Jane's , although the selection of both systems is awaiting final confirmation by the Malaysian government.

The choice of the two systems reflects a compromise between the RMN and the Malaysian government, which had been sparring over the choice of guided weapon systems for the SGPV-LCS programme since 2012.

Following receipt of a letter of award (LoA) in December 2011, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysia's BHIC group, was in July 2014 awarded a MYR9 billion (USD2.4 billion) contract for the design and construction of the six SGPV-LCS vessels.