Malaysia to receive two new Tun Fatimah-class patrol vessels within 2023

 

The first ship of the Tun Fatimah-class during launching on October 2022. Photo c/o Malaysian Defence.

Malaysian shipbuilder TH Heavy Engineering (THHE) has confirmed that it intends to deliver two Tun Fatimah-class offshore patrol vessels to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) within 2023.

This was confirmed by MMEA’s spokesperson to British defense news outlet Janes during the recently-ended Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2023 (LIMA 2023) in Malaysia last week.

TTHE is targeting the delivery of the first ship of the class to MMEA by July 2023, which has been delayed for more than 3 years, considering the ship had its first keel laying ceremony in 2017 and should have been delivered to the MMEA in mid-2020.

The second ship of the class is expected to be delivered to the MMEA by October 2023, and the third and final ship of the class by April 2024.

The Tun Fatimah-class offshore patrol vessels were based on Dutch shipbuilder Damen’s OPV 1800 design, which has a length of 83 meters, a beam of 13.7m meters, and a displacement of around 2,600 tonnes.

The ship is propelled by two Caterpillar 3512C diesel engines, enabling it to reach a maximum speed of 20 knots, and a range of 4,500 nautical miles at cruising speed of 12 knots.

It is equipped with X & S-band surface search and navigation radars, and has a 30mm autocannon mounted on an ASELSAN SMASH remote controlled weapon station as its main weapon, as well as several manually-operated 12.7mm heavy and 7.62mm light machine guns.

It is also equipped with a helicopter landing deck and is expected to have a complimenting VTOL unmanned aerial vehicle for surveillance, and can also accommodate a light helicopter.

[1] Janes

[2] Malaysian Defence