Comms Mods on Keris Class

SHAH ALAM: Communications mods on Keris class. It appears that apart from the modification of ultra/very high frequency radios from China made ones to Rohde & Schwarz ones, the Keris class 11th LMS squadron had and are also getting GPS receivers.

The installation of the GPS receivers was revealed when I went to the commissioning ceremony of KD Rencong, the fourth and last LMS made in China, at the Kota Kinabalu naval base on January 28. Two other LMS were at the same jetty as Rencong – KD Keris and KD Badik. Both ships looked not much different from Rencong apart from Keris which spotted a gorey dome on the starboard side on top of its bridge. It was not there at the commissioning of the Keris (which I attended), the first of class LMS. Both Badik and Rencong did not have similar domes on them.

Of course, I had to ask the RMN chief Admiral Reza Sany at the press conference what was the dome on Keris. He said that it was a GPS receiver (antenna). (The dome is used to cover the antenna to prevent damage from the environment.)

It must be noted that all four ships are fitted with another smaller dome on the starboard side of the quarterdeck, just beside the starboard machine gun station, though I am not not sure what it is used for.

When I look at the pictures of Keris I took at the Recong commissioning ceremony, I realised that the GPS dome blocked the Keris Eletro Optical Turret (EOTS) view to the starboard side and rear. It appears that the RMN had also noticed it but I believed they decided to leave it there, for the time being.

Why I am saying this? Thanks to the National Hydrographic Centre we have pictures of KD Sundang with a similar looking dome to the one fitted on the Keris’s bridge but fitted to another location of the ship. From the pictures (above and below) we know that the GPS dome was fitted on the port side of the quarter deck. It is likely the same type of GPS dome on the Keris due to the paint, size and the cables protruding from it. The pictures were posted on the Centre social media post on January 28.

The location of the GPS dome on Sundang is not ideal either as it is partially blocking the port machine gun, reducing its arc of fire. But certainly it is better than the one on Keris. It is likely the same GPS dome will be installed on the Badik and Rencong in the near future. I have no idea when nor what type of GPS or its supplier and installer as there was no tender or quotation notices for it.

— Malaysian Defence

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