Lekiu-class frigate

KD Jebat moored in Sydney Harbour in October 2013
Class overview
Builders:	Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow, UK
Operators:	Royal Malaysian Navy
Completed:	2
Active:	2
General characteristics
Type:	F2000
Displacement:	2,270 tons full load
Length:	106 metres
Beam:	12.75 metres
Draught:	3.08 metres
Propulsion:	Main Propulsion: 4 x MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines, 24.5MW, Twin shafts with Kamewa controllable pitch propellers
Speed:	28 kts
Range:	5000 nm
Complement:	146 with 18 officers
Sensors and processing systems:	Combat System: BAE Systems Insyte Nautis F combat data system Search radar: Ericsson Sea Giraffe Surface search radar G and H bands Thales Netherlands (Signaal) DA-08 air search operating at E and F bands Navigation radar: Thales Defence I-band navigation radar Fire control radars: 2 x Marconi 1802SW, Alenia Marconi Systems Nautis F combat data system, Radamec Series 2000 Optronic weapon director, BAE SYSTEMS 1802 fire control radars operating at I and J bands Sonar: Thales Underwater Systems Spherion TSM 2633 LF sonar Thermal Imager: BAE Type V 3001
Electronic warfare & decoys:	ESM: BAE Mentor-A ECM: Thales Defense Scimitar Decoy: 2 Super Barricade 12 barrelled launchers, Graseby Sea Siren torpedo decoy
Armament:	1 x Bofors 57mm/70 Dual Purpose Guns 2 x 30 mm MSI-Defence DS30 machine gun 16 VLS for BAE Sea Wolf SAM 2 x 4 MBDA MM40 Block 2 Exocet 2 x triple Eurotorp B515 with A244S Whitehead ASW torpedoes
Aircraft carried:	1 x Super Lynx 300
Aviation facilities:	Stern hangar Helicopter landing platform

The Lekiu class frigates are presently the most modern major assets of the Royal Malaysian Navy. The class comprises two vessels, F29 KD Jebat and F30 KD Lekiu. The class is named after the second ship of the class which was launched earlier than the Jebat.

The ships were built in the UK by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Glasgow (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) from the company's standard F2000 light frigate design. The Lekiu was launched in December 1994 while the Jebat was launched in May 1995. The Jebat carries the lower pennant number (F 29) to signify the seniority of this ship, which accommodates the Admiral of the Royal Malaysian Navy. (Hang Jebat succeeded Hang Tuah as Laksamana (Admiral) during the Melaka Sultanate, while Hang Lekiu was never made a Laksamana.)

The purchase of the two ships of the Lekiu class involved a major transfer of technology programme as well as an offset programme where some portion of the contract value would involve purchases and services contracted to Malaysian companies.

Delivery and operational status were delayed due to integration of combat systems problems. The ships were commissioned in March and May 1999. The ships represented a huge jump in capability compared to the frigates then operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy, the F24 KD Rahmat and F76 KD Hang Tuah (ex-HMS Mermaid).

Both F29 KD Jebat and F30 KD Lekiu serve in the 23 Frigate Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Navy

Delays

The Lekiu class faced serious delays due to difficulties in the systems integrations of the weapons and weapons control system (i.e., software problems). These problems were eventually overcome and the delivery and commissioning of the two ships was completed in 7 October and 10 November 1999.

Plans for further ships

Malaysian Minister of Defence Najib Tun Razak announced at the 2006 Farnborough Air Show that Malaysia would be buying two frigates from the United Kingdom under Project Brave. The Evening Times reported on 20 July 2006 that the Clyde shipyard has won a contract to build two Jebat [sic] class warships for Malaysia.

The two ships were to have been completed at Sabah Shipyard as a condition of the deal, but were cancelled in August 2009.

See Also

Nakhoda Ragam Class Offshore Patrol Vessel - Three other F2000 derived ships initially ordered for the Royal Brunei Navy but eventually purchased by the Indonesian Navy.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lekiu class frigate.

• Lekiu Class, Malaysia(naval technology)
• photograph of KD Lekiu
• photograph of KD Lekiu
• photograph of the Jebat at Yarrow Shipbuilders
• another photograph of the Lekiu
• navy rating manning the Nautis II Command system

v t e     Ships of the Royal Malaysian Navy    Submarines Perdana Menteri Class KD Tunku Abdul Rahman KD Tun Abdul Razak Frigates Lekiu Class KD Jebat KD Lekiu Kasturi Class KD Kasturi KD Lekir Corvette Laksamana Class KD Laksamana Hang Nadim KD Laksamana Tun Abdul Jamil KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin KD Laksamana Tun Pusmah Mines Countermeasures Vessel Mahamiru Class KD Mahamiru KD Jerai KD Ledang KD Kinabalu Patrol vessels Kedah Class OPV KD Kedah KD Pahang KD Perak KD Terengganu KD Kelantan KD Selangor Handalan Class KD Handalan KD Perkasa KD Pendekar KD Gempita Kris Class All ship in this class are retired and hand over to Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Hydrographic Survey Vessels Perantau Class KD Perantau KD Mutiara Fast Attack Vessels Perdana Class KD Perdana KD Serang KD Ganas KD Ganyang Jerong Class KD Jerung KD Todak KD Paus KD Yu KD Baung KD Pari Sri Tiga Class KD Sri Tiga KD Sri Gaya Auxiliary Vessels Others KD Sri Inderapura TLDM Bunga Mas Lima TLDM Bunga Mas Enam Miscellaneous vessels Sri Indera Sakti Class (Combat Support Ship) KD Sri Indera Sakti KD Mahawangsa Training Ship KD Hang Tuah KLD Tunas Samudera MV Fajar Samudera MV STS Puteri Mahsuri KD Gagah Samudera KD Teguh Samudera Tugboat KTD Penyu KTD Sotong KTD Kepah