KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 — The government has approved the installation of Surface-to-Surface Missiles (SSM) on all six Kedah-class vessels.

The Ministry of Defence (Mindef), in a written response on the Parliament’s website, said the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is currently conducting a price survey to determine the actual costs of the entire project.

“The installation of the Naval Strike Missile is planned to be undertaken in phases, considering the technical readiness of the vessels, operational requirements, and cost implications.

“In the initial phase, the assessment and integration of this capability will focus on the primary vessel as pilot platform before expanding to other ships within the same class, subject to the effectiveness of the implementation, operational needs of the RMN, and government budget approval,” the ministry said.

This was in reply to a question from Nordin Ahmad Ismail (PN-Lumut) regarding the installation of Naval Strike Missiles on the Kedah-class vessels under the 2026 Budget and whether it concerns all vessels in the class or just the KD Kedah.

The ministry said this phased approach aims to ensure that enhancements to the RMN’s combat capabilities are carried out prudently, prioritising effectiveness and providing the best value for the government, in line with maritime security requirements and the country’s fiscal capacity.

The six vessels in the Kedah class, also known as New Generation Patrol Vessels (NGPV), are KD Kedah, KD Pahang, KD Perak, KD Terengganu, KD Kelantan, and KD Selangor. — Bernama