STM Lays Keels of Malaysian Navy Ada Warships

STM has laid the keels of the Royal Malaysian Navy’s future Ada-class corvettes as part of a contract signed in 2024.

Conducted in Istanbul, the event further progresses the production of Kuala Lumpur’s three-vessel program scheduled for completion by 2028.

The Southeast Asian government’s incoming fleet will be designated as Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) and will deploy for anti-surface, anti-aircraft, asymmetric, and electronic warfare in open waters once commissioned.

Throughout the vessels’ assembly, STM will collaborate with local industry partners in Turkey for the integration of weapon, sensor, control, and management systems.

“Today’s keel laying ceremony for the three corvettes we have started constructing under the LMS Batch-II Project for the Royal Malaysian Navy is a concrete reflection of the strong friendship and cooperation between Türkiye and Malaysia,” STM Deputy General Manager Bülent Soydal stated.

“These corvettes, which mark Türkiye’s first export of corvettes to the Asia-Pacific region, will enable the Royal Malaysian Navy to perform a wide range of maritime defence missions effectively.”

Malaysia’s LMS Corvettes

The Royal Malaysian Navy’s LMS warships will each measure 100 meters (328 feet) long and have accommodations for over 100 people, a medium helicopter, and sea-based refueling capabilities.

An LMS will be equipped with a 76-millimeter main gun, a 30-millimeter secondary gun, multi-domain missiles, and decoy launcher systems.

It will sail with four diesel engines for a range of 4,000 nautical miles (7,408 kilometers/4,603 miles), 14-day operational endurance, and a speed of more than 26 knots (48 kilometers/30 miles per hour).