The naming of the ship and launching ceremony was also graced by the presence of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah.
The royal couple and invited dignitaries present, including Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, Perak Menteri Besar Zambry Abd Kadir and Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd (BHIC) managing director Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor, then watched KD Maharaja Lela sail out to sea for the first time.
Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BN Shipyard), a subsidiary company of (BHIC), is building six LCS at a cost of RM9 million each.
The LCS has a four-dimensional combat capacity with the durability to overcome electronic, water and air threats, besides having the latest combat management system.
The ship, 111 metres long, has a maximum speed of 28 knots and is equipped with torpedo launchers, anti-surface and anti-air missile launching systems and medium-calibre cannons, among other devices, to boost security control over the country’s waters.
Hishammuddin said the name “Maharaja Lela” for the combat ship took after a renowned Malay warrior, Maharaja Lela (a territorial chieftain and penghulu in Pasir Salak), who led the Malays in the fight against British colonial rule in Perak (in the 1870s).
He said the building of this first LCS for the RMN showed the capability and competitiveness of local manpower in the heavy industry sector, specifically military technology.
“This is because it is the first LCS of a frigate-class fully built by a local company, Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd,” he added.
Ahmad Ramli, meanwhile, said this was the biggest combat ship in the RMN fleet, with its stealth shape, and was difficult to detect by radar.
He said the ship would be officially handed over to RMN in April 2019 after undergoing tests at the dockyard and sea, as well as firing tests.