The Kedah Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) are built by Blohm + Voss and PSC Naval Dockyard (now known as Boustead Naval Shipyard) for the Royal Malaysian Navy. Kedah Class ships are also referred to as New Generation Patrol Vessels (NGPV) as they were planned under the NGPV programme.
The Malaysian Government, Penang Shipbuilding Corporation (PSC) and Germany Naval Group consortium led by Blohm + Voss signed a contract for the initial batch of six vessels in November 2000. PSC also signed a MYR24bn contract to build 27 OPVs over ten years for the Royal Malaysian Navy.
Recommended White Papers
Recommended Buyers Guides
The first two OPVs were built in Germany for assembly and fitting out in Malaysia. Subsequent ships were built in Malaysia. The programme was delayed due to technical problems and quality control issues found in lead ship Kedah. A new management team was set up by the Malaysian Government to keep the programme on track, but the order was confined to six vessels instead of 27 vessels.
The keel for the first ship in class, KD Kedah (F171), was laid in November 2001. It was launched in March 2003 and commissioned in June 2006.
KD Pahang (F172) was laid in December 2001, launched in October 2003 and commissioned in August 2006.
KD Perak (F173) was laid in March 2002, launched in November 2007 and commissioned in June 2009.
KD Terengganu (F174) was laid in August 2004, launched in December 2007 and commissioned in December 2009.
KD Kelantan (F175) was laid in July 2005, launched in November 2008 and commissioned in May 2010.
The last ship in class, KD Selangor (F176), was laid in July 2006. It was launched in July 2009 for the commissioning into the Royal Malaysian Navy in December 2010.
Kedah Class vessels are deployed to conduct maritime surveillance and patrol duties in Malaysia’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Kedah design
Based on the Blohm + Voss MEKO 100 design, Kedah Class features reduced radar and infrared signatures. The vessels are incorporated with a modern control system for monitoring and controlling the machinery and ship systems.
Space was allocated to include surface to surface missile, Surface to Air Missile, and the SONAR and Electronic Warfare suite.
The ships were designed to support the plug and play concept, which allows the operators to install the required modules for specific mission requirements without further work on the ship control system.
Kedah Class has an overall length of 91.1m, a beam of 12.85m and a maximum draft of 3.6m. The full load displacement of the ship is 1,852t. The OPV can complement a crew of 78 members.
Weapon systems
Kedah Class is armed with an Oto Melara 76mm medium range gun at the front and an Oto Melara 30mm short-range gun fitted at the aft side of the vessel.
It also has provisions to add Exocet MM40 surface-to-surface missile system and SeaRAM anti-ship missile defence system.
Sensors / radars
Kedah Class is equipped with an EADS TRS-3D / 16 ES three-dimensional search radar, an Oerlikon Contraves TMX / EO X-band fire control radar and a L-3 ELAC Nautik NDS-3060 obstacle avoidance sonar.
Countermeasures
Countermeasures are provided by the Thales Sceptre-X ESM system and the Sippican ALEX SRBOC chaff / decoy launching system. The ALEX system is integrated with the vessel’s onboard ESM, wind and navigation sensors.
Aircraft on Kedah Class
The OPV has a helicopter landing deck to support a medium-sized helicopter. The helideck is equipped with a landing system for locking and sliding the helicopter for stability. A hangar facility is also provided for a single helicopter.
Propulsion
Kedah Class is powered by two Caterpillar 3616 diesel engines rated at 5,995kW. These engines driving two controllable pitch propellers provide a maximum speed of 22kt and a range of 6,050nm at 12kt speed.
The onboard integrated platform management system monitors and controls the propulsion, electrical and auxiliary systems of the vessel.
The Global Naval Surface Combatants & Warfare Systems Market 2011-2021
This project forms part of our recent analysis and forecasts of the global Naval Surface Combatants & Warfare Systems market available from our business information platform ‘Strategic Defence Intelligence’. For more information click here or contact us: EMEA: +44 (0) 20 7936 6783; Americas: +1 (0)415 439 4914; Asia Pacific: +61 (0)2 9947 9709 or via email.
