RMN’s KD Kasturi Completes Refit

Our Bureau - : May 20, 2025 - : 12:15 am

RMN’s KD Kasturi Completes RefitOne of the most important warships in the Royal Malaysian Navy, the KD Kasturi, the lead ship of the Kasturiclass corvettes, recently completed a major REFIT programme. The warship designed by Germany’s HowaldtswerkeDeutsche Werft (HDW) based on the FS 1500 design was commissioned into RMN service in the eighties and has played a critical role in Malaysia’s maritime defense, serving under the 22nd Corvette Squadron and based in Lumut, Perak.

The refit and Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) was undertaken by Malaysia’s Lumut Naval Shipyard (LUNAS), which was established in 1984. LUNAS also announced in May that it had launched the RMN’s second Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Raja Muda Nala. This is the first time that the LCS, which is under construction, entered water. “This achievement reflects the collective efforts of all teams involved and marks the beginning of the next phase in the vessel’s development. A key milestone in our journey towards Defining Excellence through the LCS project,” LUNAS announced. The shipyard also announced earlier in May that it had begun installation of the Main Surveillance Radar (MSR) onboard LCS 2.

KD KASTURI underwent its first major modernization effort in 2013 under a SLEP. Following the completion of the refit and SLEP, the corvette was handed over to the RMN this January. It included servicing and overhaul of piping systems to ensure that the warships internal systems were in optimal condition; replacing the navigation radar with a modern radar system for improved navigation and situational awareness; servicing and overhaul of underwater systems to enhance the vessel’s underwater capabilities, including sonar and propulsion components and servicing and overhaul of propulsion systems covering critical components from the rudder, Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) hub, and shafting arrangement to the gearbox, ensuring optimal propulsion performance. The warship’s main engines also underwent a separate routine overhaul under a government contract.

The KD Kasturi is a versatile platform capable of addressing various maritime threats and features primary and secondary cannons, short-range air defence systems, anti-ship missiles, and effective anti-submarine torpedoes. Kasturiclass corvettes have a displacement of 1,880 tonne at full load, can attain a speed of 28 knots, has a crew complement of 124, and a range of 5,000 nautical miles (8,000 kilometers)..

Lima /

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