Malaysia Selects Turkiye As Preferred Alternative Missile Supplier For RMN Littoral Combat Ships

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12  – Malaysia has selected Turkiye as its preferred supplier to provide an alternative anti-ship missile system—replacing Norway’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM)—for the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced the decision on Thursday, November 12, 2026, following the Defence Ministry’s 2026 Innovation Day celebration at the MINDEF Auditorium in Kuala Lumpur.

Mohamed Khaled stated that the government arrived at the decision after evaluating competitive proposals from several defence-producing nations, including Turkiye, France, and Italy, assessed across key criteria such as pricing, delivery schedules, and upfront capital costs.

“We have conducted an evaluation and have now reached the stage of determining that Turkiye is the best country from which to obtain an alternative to our missile,” the Defence Minister told reporters.

“We will engage with the Turkish side for further negotiations so that we can finalise the matter,” he added.

Mohamed Khaled also noted that Putrajaya has received technical assurances regarding the Turkish missile system’s compatibility and seamless integration with the LCS vessels’ combat management systems—details that will be further scrutinized during upcoming commercial negotiations with the Turkish defence manufacturer.

Procurement Decision, Evaluation Criteria, and Next Steps

Key defence acquisition milestones, competing bids, and technical parameters include:

• Selected Supplier Country: Turkiye (replacing Norway’s Naval Strike Missile for the RMN Littoral Combat Ship fleet).
• Competing Nations Evaluated: Turkiye, France, and Italy.
• Core Selection Criteria: Overall pricing, delivery timelines, and upfront acquisition costs.
• Technical Verification: Confirmed preliminary assurances on combat system compatibility and vessel integration, subject to detailed technical review during final negotiations.
• Announcing Authority: Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (at MINDEF 2026 Innovation Day, Nov 12, 2026).

–NMT