Kedah class offshore patrol vessel

Class overview
Name:	Kedah Class OPV
Builders:	Blohm + Voss/HDW, German Naval Group (GNG) and Boustead Naval Shipyard (Formerly PCS-ND)
Operators:	Royal Malaysian Navy
Planned:	6
Completed:	6
Cancelled:	0
Active:	5
General characteristics
Type:	MEKO 100 RMN
Displacement:	1,850 tons full load
Length:	91.1 metres
Beam:	12.85 metres
Draught:	3.4 metres
Propulsion:	Main Propulsion: 2x Caterpillar 3616 (5450kW) diesel, 16000 bhp, 2 shafts, 2 controllable pitch propellers, CAE Integrated Platform Management System
Speed:	22+ kts
Range:	6050nm@12knots
Endurance:	21 days
Complement:	78 (accom. for 98)
Sensors and processing systems:	Combat System: Atlas Elektronik COSYS-110 M1/ARGOS Search radar:EADS TRS-3D/ 16ES Navigation radar: Fire control radars:Oerlikon Contraves TMX/EO X-band with electro-optic fire director Thermal Imager: Rheinmetall TMEO Integrated Communications System:
Electronic warfare and decoys:	ESM: Thales Sceptre-X ECM: Decoy: Sippican ALEX/SRBOC chaff / decoy launching system
Armament:	Guns : 1 x 76mm 62cal OTO Melara Rapid DP 1 x Oto Melara / Mauser 30mm short-range gun 2 x 12.7 Machine Guns Sonar: L-3 ELAC Nautik NDS-3060 Obstacle Avoidance sonar
Aircraft carried:	1 x Super Lynx 300 or Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk

The Kedah class is a class of offshore patrol vessels (OPV) of the Royal Malaysian Navy and named after the lead ship of the class, 171 KD Kedah. The Kedah class is based on the MEKO 100 design by Blohm + Voss. A total of 27 ships was planned, with only six having been ordered from Malaysian builders. Since it is result of the New Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) programme, it is also referred to as "New Generation Patrol Vessels" or "NGPVs".

History

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) in the 1990s identified the need to replace the Vosper Thornycroft built patrol boats that were being used, as these inshore patrol boats were not competent for the future and tend to age after a service life of 30 years. These Vosper built boats are 103 foot built patrol crafts commissioned in the 1960s. They were armed with 2 x 40mm HA 70 Bofors guns mounted fore and aft, powered by Maybach Diesel engines with a design speed of 27 knots.

The RMN proposed the Next Generation Patrol Vessel (NGPV) programme as the replacement of the old boats. After receiving approval from Malaysian Government, the RMN ran a competition for the design of the new class of patrol ships in 1996. The German Naval Group consortium was adjudged the winner, beating off final competitors, the Australian Transfield Group ^[1] and British Shipyards Vosper Thornycroft and Yarrow Shipbuilders.

A contract for a batch of 6 vessels was signed in 2000. Terms of the contract specified the local shipyard company PSC-Naval Dockyard as the prime contractor, the German Naval Group (GNG) as the main sub-contactor. First 2 ships were to be built in Germany, with the remainder to be built by PSC-Naval Dockyard in Malaysia. PSC Naval Dockyard also signed a RM 24 billion contract to build 27 offshore patrol vessels over 10 years for the RMN, together with foreign partners led by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.

A contract for a further 6 improved vessels or the "Second Generation Patrol Vessels" or "SGPVs" is projected under the Tenth Malaysia Plan.^[2]

Progression delay

Main article: PSC-Naval Dockyard#Financial and Delivery Problems

The progression has been plagued by technical problems and delays. The first hull (later named KD Kedah), completed by PSC-Naval Dockyard, failed to pass pre-delivery sea trials due to technical problems and quality issues, causing a major setback of the programme. The crisis continued until the Malaysian government replaced a new management team,^[3] the programme was then back on track. However the scandal had discouraged the Malaysian Government to invest in the programme. Many had expected the programme to stop at 6 vessels as oppose to the initial plan of 27.

In June 2006, the Royal Malaysian Navy finally commissioned KD Kedah, which was delayed for 18 months, followed by a second hull, KD Pahang, in August of the same year, and a third hull, KD Perak, on November 12, 2007. All 6 vessel had since been launched as of July, 2009.

Design

The MEKO 100 based Patrol Vessels are designed to have low radar detectability, low noise, low heat dissipation and have an economical cruising speed. An advanced control system is used to monitor and control the platform machinery of the ships, including propulsion, electrical, damage control and auxiliary machinery and systems.

Due to the small ship complement, the design relies on a high degree of automation for improved operational effectiveness and survivability of the ships. The design uses intelligent electronics and sensors interconnected by data buses. This enables monitoring and control of machinery from several shipboard locations. The ship has redundant systems to improve survivability.

The modular design of the MEKO allows for the fitting of ships systems without the actual fixture of armaments and other combat equipments. This is akin to the concept of “Plug and Play” in modern day computers. Systems can be added on by installing the required modules as the situation warrants, and once installed, the new systems platform can be used without further work on the ships controls system.

Ships of the class

Pennant	Name	Laid down	Shipyard	Launched	Commissioned
F171	Kedah	November 13, 2001	Blohm + Voss	March 21, 2003	June 5, 2006
F172	Pahang	December 21, 2001	HDW	October 2, 2003	August 3, 2006
F173	Perak	March 2002	Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn. Bhd.	November 12, 2007	June 3, 2009
F174	Terengganu	August 2004	Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn. Bhd.	December 6, 2007	December 8, 2009
F175	Kelantan	July 2005	Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn. Bhd.	November 24, 2008	May 8, 2010
F176	Selangor	July 2006	Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn. Bhd.	July 23, 2009	December 28, 2010

All ships of the class so far named were named after states in Peninsular Malaysia (Kedah, Pahang, Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan and Selangor). KD Pahang replaces the former Vosper Thornycroft built 30m patrol boat, which has been decommissioned.

Similar designs

K130 corvettes (based on the Meko A-100 Design) for the German Navy began building in July 2004 - 5 are to be built for the German Navy, 2 by Blohm + Voss, 2 by Lürssen and 1 by Nordseewerke and will enter service between May 2007 and November 2008.

See also

• MEKO
• Kasturi class frigate

References

1. ^ Michael Richardson. "Australia to Push Warship Plan". http://www.iht.com/articles/1996/01/15/ships.t.php. 
2. ^ http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/6/nation/8012567&sec=nation
3. ^ http://besonline.rtm.net.my/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=34273&mode=mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

External links

• MEKO A Class Corvettes / Frigates, Germany
• Specifications - MEKO A Class Corvettes / Frigates, Germany
• [1]
• CAE IPMS
• The Star: RAM missile