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| Southeast Asia |
| The Malaysian Navy (StrategyPage Excerpt) |
| 2005-04-18 |
| The Royal Malaysian Navy is small, but very modern. The backbone of this force are five frigates, two Lekiu-class frigates (with Seawolf surface-to-air missiles and Exocet anti-ship missiles), two Kasturi-class frigates (with Exocet anti-ship missiles), and the old frigate Rahmat. Malaysia is adding a number of more modern vessels. It acquired four missile boats from Italy (originally built for Iraq) equipped with Otomat anti-ship missiles and Aspide surface-to-air missiles to go with eight smaller missile boats equipped with Exocet. It also is assembling two MEKO A-100 patrol ships and building at least four more (some reports indicate the class could be as large as 27 ships total) to go with the two Musytari-class patrol ships. Malaysia is also in the process of acquiring two French Scorpene-class submarines [and] also looking into the purchase of additional frigates. This is a very potent force, one that outclasses Indonesia's, and is getting better. Malaysia's military is turning into one of the more technologically advanced forces in Southeast Asia. This force is also very professional, and while it has turned to conscription, it is one of the better forces in Southeast Asia. It has often carried out peacekeeping missions, including East Timor and Kosovo. This force is trending upwards and will be a tough one to defeat in battle. |
| Posted by:Pappy |
| #6 Small, fast, armored boats and small ships with deck cannon and heavy machine guns would seem to be the order of the day. If, that is, they were looking to build a good anti-piracy outfit. You know, like the US Coast Guard. You're right, Mitch. The navy is not geared for anti-piracy work. That, for the most part, is done by the police. And that's where the political foot-dragging comes in. Nobody wants a war on their front lawn. Without going into a lot of detail, there've been a number of exercises over the past decade for coordinating Malaysian defense of the straits. Quite a few nations have been helping with brinnging them up to snuff. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-04-18 7:01:52 PM |
| #5 Turning on the JM light. Let it roll on! |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-04-18 5:44:31 PM |
| #4 Missile boats, anti-air weaponry, and submarines don't exactly should "anti-piracy warfare" to me. Small, fast, armored boats and small ships with deck cannon and heavy machine guns would seem to be the order of the day. If, that is, they were looking to build a good anti-piracy outfit. You know, like the US Coast Guard. This stuff sounds more like mainforce stuff to me - aimed at other navies. That being said, the problems in that end of the world are mostly in Indonesian waters, not Malaysian, as I understand matters. So, Malaysia wouldn't be the striking force against the pirates, unless they were going to be cruising another sovereign state's waters on a regular basis. On the other hand, with all the noise recently about the possibility of a future Chinese-Taiwanese naval war occurring on the sea lanes between the Spratleys and the Malucca Straits, I could see how the Malaysians might want to have a force-in-being to protect their sovereign waters. Nobody wants a war on their front lawn. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2005-04-18 5:24:17 PM |
| #3 Having worked with the Malaysian Navy, they are a step above the general population in motivation and smarts. But they still have all the foibles and mind-set. Methinks a lot of the foot-dragging with regards to anti-piracy is political. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-04-18 11:12:15 AM |
| #2 Any chance this modern little navy will be turned to actual anti-piracy work, or is it to be just for pretty? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-04-18 6:47:20 AM |
| #1 Unfortunately its manned by Malays, not famed for their efficiency. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-04-18 6:38:58 AM |