SHAH ALAM: In a press conference in Kuching on November 4, MMEA director-general Admiral Maritime Hamid Mohd Amin told the media that the agency is expected to receive two ships from a friendly country, next year.
He did not name the country nor the type of ships, but as MMEA had received ships from Japan (three) and Australia (two), previously, it would be safe to assume that the new addition will be from the two countries.
Intriguingly, in a Facebook post by MMEA today (November 8) it was stated that the agency had look into absorbing at least one ex-US Coast guard cutter (an American term for this kind of vessel). This was mentioned in a post on the retirement ceremony for Rear Admiral Maritime Aminuddin Abdul Rashid.
The post stated that among his achievements in the MMEA were that he was the team leader for a suitability study on absorbing the US Coast Guard cutter β USCG Decisive. It stated that this will create a wider collaboration with friendly forces either locally or abroad.
Checks on the US Coast Guard website showed that Decisiveβ a Reliance class cutter β was laid in 1967 and commissioned in 1968. She was decommissioned from US Coast Guard on March 2, 2023, after a 55-year service.
The ships of the class are about 65 meter long with a beam of 10 meter. They are equipped with twin diesel engines, a helipad, and a crew of seventy-five. In US Coast Guard service, the ships are equipped with a single 25 mm cannon and two machine-guns.
The MMEA post (edited for brevity):
π πππππ¦ π£ππ₯π¦ππ₯πππ‘ π£ππ‘πππ₯ππ ππππππππ‘ π£ππ‘ππ¨ππ§ππ¨ππ¦πππ‘ πππ‘ π£ππ‘π¬ππππ₯ππ¦ππ‘ π ππ₯ππ§ππ
π£π¨π§π₯ππππ¬π, π΄ π‘πΌππ²πΊπ―π²πΏ β Pengarah Bahagian Penguatkuasaan dan Penyelarasan Maritim, Laksamana Muda Maritim Aminuddin bin Haji Abdul Rashid bersara wajib hari ini setelah berkhidmat selama 17 tahun bersama Maritim Malaysia.
Beliau merupakan seorang Pegawai Kanan Maritim Malaysia yang amat komited dan berwawasan setiap kali diberikan tugas dan tanggungjawab sebagai pemimpin di sesuatu Bahagian sepanjang perkhidmatan bersama Maritim Malaysia. Beliau juga pernah menabur bakti selama 24 tahun sebagai pegawai Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia sebelum ditukar lantik ke perkhidmatan Maritim Malaysia.
Antara kejayaan yang signifikan yang dilaksanakan oleh beliau ialah memacu Pelan Strategik SAR Maritim Malaysia 2021-2025. Mengetuai penilaian ke atas kesesuaian USCG CUTTER DECISIVE untuk diserap dalam Maritim Malaysia serta mewujudkan ruang kerjasama yang lebih meluas dengan pasukan sahabat sama ada daripada dalam dan luar negara seperti PATKOR OPTIMA.
It must be noted that US Coast Guard had transferred two more Reliance class cutter in 2004 to Sri Lanka and Colombia in 2003. From Wikipedia:
The 210s (210-foot cutters) received upgrades and modifications (in a program named βMidlife Maintenance Availabilityβ or MMA) during the 1986 through 1990 time period. The βAβ-class cutters had their gas turbines removed, and all 210s had their stern transom exhaust systems replaced with a traditional stack. While this modification reduced the size of the flight deck, they were still more than capable of carrying out helicopter operations. Other modifications included enlarging the superstructure area, replacing the main armament, and increasing the fire-fighting capability of the cutters. The modifications cost approximately $20 million per cutter, well above their original cost of about $3.5 million each
I stand to be corrected of course and will check with the MMEA on the transfer.
β Malaysian Defence.
If you like this post, buy me an espresso. Paypal Payment
View Comments (49)
Wouldnt mind having a Hamilton class or two
The Hamiltons are equipped with gas turbines, probably the reason MMEA do not want them at all. The Reliance class cutter had all of their gas turbines removed.
210 feet....good enough to ram those chinese coast guard ships when required. Go for it MMEA!!!
.. and a crew of seventy-five
Ramainya crew, for a 65m ship
A design from the 1960s, little automation.
Although old (as old as our vospers PCs), they are very well maintained by USCG and has no complicated electronics that is expensive to sustain or replace. Another type of ship that can be had from USCG is the Island-class patrol boat. All of them are younger (oldest built in 1985) than the current 4 remaining Vosper PC with TLDM. These have the same Vosper hull design as TLDM Vosper PC, but with a much better designed superstructure.
https://media.defense.gov/2019/Apr/26/2002121803/-1/-1/0/180313-G-XQ144-009.JPG
Along with the USCGC Decisive (WMEC-629), another 3 WMEC Medium Endurance Cutters will be laid-up by mid next year, USCGC Confidence (WMEC-619), the USCGC Dauntless(WMEC-624) and the USCGC Dependable (WMEC-626)
Latest picture of USCGC Decisive, it is the ship on the far left
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-DG40SaoAAOX0Z.jpg
The WMECs has long endurance. In USCG service, they routinely go out for 60 days straight patrol . In the first 182 days of 2023, slated-to-retire USCGC Dependable was on deployment for 92 of them. A ship that can be out there for long periods of time is what we need right now. Same mission actually can also be done by locally built OSVs, if we want to.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FjWG-PAUoAM8J0N.jpg
As for APMM fleet maintenance management. Probably it is a good idea for TLDM bahagian Kejuruteraan and Ketua Jurutera TLDM to take charge or at least be an adviser to APMM fleet maintenance management.
If indeed we are getting a hull first laid decades ago itβs a sign of how bad things are and an indictment on how serous the government is.
Irrespective of how well maintained it is a hull of that age will present its set of challenges and one only has to look at the issues the PN has had sustaining its aged ex USCG cutters.
All hamiltons already spoken for
last available hamilton, USCGC Mellon (WHEC_717) is slated to be transferred to Vietnam Coast Guard.
Current Hamilton cutter users
Philippines Navy - 3
Vietnam Coast guard - 2 (+1)
Bangladesh Navy - 2
Sri Lanka Navy - 2
Nigerian Navy - 2
Other used large OPVs (or frigates that can be converted to large OPVs) currently available
- Norwegian Coast Guard Nordkapp-class cutters
- South Korean Navy Ulsan-class frigates
- Japan Coast Guard Ojika-class OPV (sisterships to KM Pekan, 3 new Kunigami-class OPV in build to partially replace them)
@Hasnan
"210 feetβ¦.good enough to ram those chinese coast guard ships "
Then CCG will bring out their 541 feet Zhaotou class cutter, more than double the size of Reliance class, then how to ram it? Its stupid to into an arms race with them.
@Joe
We just have to accept reality that one day they will ram our boats/ships like they are doing to the Pinoys nowadays. At least we show a bit of fighting spirit rather than just fold down and cry. Even a so-called terrorist organisation can stand up and carry the fight to a powerful army backed by a superpower.
Hasnan - βto ram those chinese coast guard ships when required. Go for it MMEA!!β
Indeed. Ram and literally push the bloody buggers back to Hainan. That will teach them! If they bring anything else bigger weβll respond in kind.
Almost all of ex-Hamilton users does not have any major problems in operating them. Most are very active in their respective new homes.
Even The Philippines Navy would like to have a 4th Hamilton, but unfortunately there is no unallocated vessels left.
Most of Philippines navy problem with the Hamiltons is because of an unplanned maintenance (due to the grounding of BRP Georgio Del Pillar) derailed their upgrade plans.