The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is expected to receive a second submarine from France in June 2010, according to Navy Submarine Commander First Admiral Mohammad Rosland Omar.
The submarine, KD Tun Abdul Razak, is likely to arrive at the Malaysian naval base in Sepanggar Bay, according to world.brunei.fm.
The Scorpene-class submarine is undergoing the second phase of trials being carried out by its Spanish manufacturer, Navatia, off Cartanega in Spain.
“The voyage home is expected to take two months. Come June, we will have two submarines here,” Omar said.
France delivered the first submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, to the Lumut naval base in Peninsular Malaysia on 5 September 2009.
RMN Region II Commander First Admiral Anuwi Hassan said the operations and programmes of both submarines for 2010 and 2011 had been laid out.
“Operating ageing vessels is a challenge for the navy but RMN was able to put 70% of them into service,” Hassan said.
“They are not too old to operate and have not exceeded their lifespan, but the cost of maintaining them is unsteady and we are able to repair and put them back to service.
“We hope to acquire new assets to back up the present fleet under the 10th Malaysia Plan 2011-2015.”
