KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — The Science and Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE) is creating a national defence drone framework to counter modern warfare threats, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

He said drones and new technologies are now among the main threats in today’s security landscape, making early preparation essential to safeguard the nation’s defence capabilities.

“We are also focusing on emerging areas, particularly in response to the threats of modern warfare today, where drones and similar technologies are increasingly used.

“…we have tasked STRIDE with developing a framework for national defence drones. They are working on this to ensure we are prepared for emerging threats to our national security,” he said during a question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik (PH-Balik Pulau) on the specific research and development (R&D) initiatives to be undertaken under the National Defence Industry Policy (DIPN) launched yesterday.

Mohamed Khaled explained that the DIPN is an ongoing framework that will evolve in line with defence needs and technological developments.

He said the DIPN’s success relies on a strong R&D and technology ecosystem, open to all sectors of the defence industry.

“This means it is open to various sectors. At this initial stage, we do not intend to build equipment like aircraft, but we can start by focusing on components, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO),” he said.

On the Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN) Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) project in Turkiye, Mohamed Khaled said the decision was made based on specific considerations at the time.

He said, however, for future projects, the government will limit overseas construction to one ship, with the rest built domestically to allow the transfer of expertise and experience to the local industry.

He said the DIPN launch also set measures to boost the local defence industry, including a minimum requirement of 30 per cent local components in all defence procurements.

“These are among the policies we will use as a starting point to develop the local defence industry. For your information, there are currently 15 MROs run by foreign OEMs that we believe Malaysians are now capable of taking over,” he said. — Bernama