KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 — All three Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 (LMSB2) vessels currently being constructed in Turkiye are on track for delivery by end-2027, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said today.

Mohamed Khaled said the second LMSB2 vessel was named and launched at the Istanbul Shipyard on Sunday, following the maiden vessel’s launch on May 24, 2026.

“Since we signed the deal in 2024, the construction of all three vessels are progressing correctly according to schedule.

“All three vessels will be delivered between October to December next year,” he told reporters after attending the Majlis Penyampaian Anugerah Kecemerlangan Pendidikan 2026 at Wisma Perkasa ATM, here, today.

The first LMSB2 vessel was launched last month and named Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil to honour the late Johor prince’s resilience in his battle against cancer.

The second LMSB2 vessel, launched on Sunday, was named Raja Laut in honour of the historical figure that shaped Selangor’s administration and maritime trade in the 19th century.

The procurement of the three LMSB2 vessels reportedly costs €536.5 million (RM2.5 billion).

Malaysia currently owns four such vessels but aims to expand the fleet to 18 vessels to strengthen its maritime operational readiness.