Türkiye begins construction of corvettes for Royal Malaysian Navy
The block laying ceremony of 3 corvettes built by STM Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Co. for the Royal Malaysian Navy was held in Istanbul, Türkiye, April 10, 2025. (AA Photo)
Türkiye has officially begun construction of three ADA-class corvettes for the Royal Malaysian Navy as part of the LMS Batch 2 program.
The block keel laying ceremony was held at Istanbul Shipyard, marking a significant milestone in Türkiye’s growing defense cooperation with Malaysia.
According to a statement by STM Defense Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc., the lead contractor of the project, the work on the corvettes began in early 2024 following a steel-cutting ceremony held in December 2023.
ADA-class design to enhance Malaysian Naval capabilities
STM Deputy General Manager of Naval Programs Bulent Soydal emphasized that the ships are based on the internationally proven ADA-class corvette design and will enhance Malaysia’s maritime defense capabilities.
“These corvettes, Türkiye’s first corvette export to the Asia-Pacific region, will enable the Royal Malaysian Navy to carry out various naval defense missions effectively. We plan to deliver all three vessels by the end of 2027,” said Soydal.
Türkiye’s expanding naval export footprint
Türkiye has emerged as one of the ten countries capable of designing and building its own warships, following the development of the MILGEM program under the Turkish Navy and the Secretariat of Defense Industries (SSB).
The project aligns with Türkiye’s strategic vision to strengthen defense ties with partner nations and expand its global defense industry exports.
A G2G memorandum of understanding on defense product supply was signed between Türkiye and Malaysia on June 10, 2024, in Ankara.
The official contract acceptance for the LMS Batch 2 Project was also finalized at that time.
Project scope: Advanced systems and Turkish industry integration
Under STM’s leadership, the corvettes are being fully designed, constructed, and outfitted in Türkiye with high-level participation from domestic defense firms.
Each vessel will feature advanced systems including:
- ASELSAN’s 30mm MUHAFIZ remote-controlled stabilized gun system
- CENK 3D search radar and ARES 2D surface radar electronic support systems
- Akrep fire control radar, IFF system, and chaff decoy launchers
- ROKETSAN’s ATMACA anti-ship missile system
- HAVELSAN’s combat management system and fire control solution for the 76mm naval gun
The vessels will measure 99.56 meters in length, displace 2,500 tons, and be capable of reaching speeds up to 26 knots. Each ship will accommodate 111 personnel and feature a helicopter landing platform.
Strategic maritime partnership continues to deepen
STM will be responsible for all aspects of the project including design, performance specifications, construction, material procurement, systems integration, testing, and integrated logistics support (ILS).
The agreement further strengthens the strategic partnership between Türkiye and Malaysia, with future cooperation potentially expanding into other defense sectors.
