SHAH ALAM: The Joneses…Pohang class corvette. IT appears that the South Korean Pohang class corvette has or will become the standard type of these vessels for Asean navies, with three already in service with Vietnam (two) and the Philippines which already has one with another to be transferred soon.
Indonesian Navy will become the third operator of the Pohang class as media reports in the last week or so suggested that it will receive three corvettes within the next few years. South Korean media however reported only one will be transferred though. As there is still seven Pohang class ships with South Korean navy it is likely more will be transferred to other navies. At the moment, apart from the Asean navies, Peru (2), Colombia and Egyptian navies also operate the same ships.
From Wikipedia:
The Pohang-class PCC (Patrol Combat Corvette) is the low-end complement of the high-low mix domestic naval construction plan of the Republic of Korea Navy under the 1st Yulgok Project (1974-1986) for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. It was originally planned as a Batch II production of Donghae-class corvette, but many changes on overall design, notably applying the hull design of Ulsan-class frigate, reclassified the ship to its own class. The ship is designed for patrolling maritime border, including the Northern Limit Line, protecting the littoral zone, and combating the North Korean vessels.
Since 1984, a total of 24 Pohang-class corvettes commissioned in the Republic of Korea Navy. The decommission of the class started in 2009, and is being replaced with series of FFX program. As of 2022, 7 remain in service in the ROKN, and 7 were transferred to other navies.
What this got to do with RMN then? Nothing much really but RMN may have been the first operator of the Pohang class corvette in Asean as South Korea offered one of the ships, if we decided to buy the Dokdo LHD back in 2012.
Of course that did not happened as the government then finally decided not to buy the LHD from South Korea. As of the moment, I have not heard of any new offer to transfer the corvette to Malaysia. To be honest, I am not sure whether RMN would accept it bearing in mind its long held skepticism of gas turbines, after its difficulties with Rahmat and Tuah. The Pohang class corvettes are equipped with a single GE LM2500 gas turbine and two MTU diesel engines.
— Malaysian Defence
View Comments (37)
We are so lacking in hulls currently buying these second hand ships from Korea n having them refurbished may not be a bad idea. Just to illustrate , we need at least 10 hulls in East Malaysia but how many have we got there?. Even with the 4 new LMS , there is hardly 10 hulls over there. With 10 hulls we can ma8ntain 4 on constant patrols . With less we now need to flog the existing ships n skip maintenance. With the government not in the mood to buy new hulls the RMN had no choice but forced to deep maintenance taken and renew the old hulls. But these are still old hulls n maintenance would be more often n expensive. The gov has no question when it from to maintenance n repair. The gov will approve no questions asked but once request for new hulls goes in questioning will come.
Those pohangs would be a good addition to MMEA OPV fleet.
Those gas turbines can just be monthballed and not used. with diesels only it can still push 15 knots.
the advantage of getting those pohangs is the 2x 76mm gun and 2x DARDO 40mm fitted on those ships. Can be later transferred to our future frigates to get the cost down.
Right now, need to stop buying expensive weak patrol vessels for RMN, and get more petrol vesssels for MMEA instead.
Stop gap vessels that would be good to quickly beef up MMEA patrol fleet :
1) Pohang class corvettes
2) Ex Oil and Gas AHTS/OSV (there will be more instances of Winposh Rampart incident in the future, and MMEA need to own ships that can tackle that issue, in addition to doing patrols and presences)
3) Ex New Zealand Navy 55m IPV (lake class, 4 available)
4) more 38.2m Bay Class OPV from Australia (now 2 already donated by Australia to MMEA, 4 more available)
Lee - ''We are so lacking in hulls currently buying these second hand ships from Korea n having them refurbished may not be a bad idea. Just to illustrate''
It's a Catch 22 situation; introducing into service a ship with zero commonality with what we currently have leads to news problems as people have to be trained to operate and maintain the different radars, ESMs, CMS, gearboxes, engines, etc, etc, all this adds a strain on existing manpower/support/logistical resources and in turns leads to more costs. Achieving greater commonality and lowering the extensive shore support training/support footprint is a major priority for the RMN.
Lee - ''Even with the 4 new LMS , there is hardly 10 hulls over there.''
The 6 Kedahs; FACs, LMSs and other ships which are not permanently based there but deploy there on rotations.
Lee - ''The gov has no question when it from to maintenance n repair''
Apologies but this is incorrect. Funding for refits and deep maintenance is often delayed; the pen pushing bureaucrats often complaining and asking why it consumes so much resources. Why do you think the government was so receptive to the 5/15? Because the RMN pointed out that long term savings could be gained by retiring aged and high maintenance hulls; those funds in turn could be used to fund newer less maintenance extensive and cheaper to operate hulls.
gonggok - ''need to stop buying expensive weak patrol vessels for RMN''
There is no intention to do so. The intention is to get a batch of 8 fully fitted out LMSs.
GE LM2500 gas turbines are not for the faint hearted or light in pocket. It runs reliably provided it follows a strict maintenance and replacement program. Gas turbines are preferred for sustaining high speeds (30+ knots) and rapid combat maneuvers but not really suitable for long range patrols due to its huge consumption of fuel, much like a jet engine. These gas turbine ships/fleet would usually have supporting oiler accompanying it. If we cannot afford to run it, better don't.
azlan - The intention is to get a batch of 8 fully fitted out LMS
What can 8 fully fitted out LMS does in the defence of malaysian waters against any future adversary? If at most it can perform as a glorified OPV, then why not buy a proper, cheaper OPV instead?
Can those LMS even be taken seriously by the chinese Aircraft Carrier Task Force in their list of threats?
What can realistically RMN deploy to give some sort of fear factor to the chinese fleet?
How does other smaller countries successfully stand up to bigger adversaries?
There's no way RMN can take on the Chinese fleet without any external support from major powers. Simply talking about the numbers alone, the CCG has probably twice the amount of hulls both the RMN and MMEA combined. One scenario I could think of is China would just simply use the CCG to overwhelm our fleet with its numbers then send the PLAN to do the moping up.
There's really nothing in the RMN inventory provides any fear factor to the PLAN. Even SG would be hard pressed to go one-on-one with China. The only realistic option IMO is to form a military alliance within ASEAN as well as ANZAC and Japan.
gonggok - ''can 8 fully fitted out LMS does in the defence of malaysian waters against any future adversary?''
Put things in context; what type of adversary and in what type of conflict? In an earlier post you mentioned that the RMN needs ''to stop buying expensive weak patrol vessels for RMN'' - I pointed out that that was not the case. Now you're claiming that LMSs have no utility and that OPVs are better.... What is this; comedy or fan boy hour?
gonggok - ''then why not buy a proper, cheaper OPV instead?''
Define ''proper''? A OPV in what context; fully fitted out? To perform what roles exactly? A OPV doesn't necessarily have to be better suited for the task at hand compared to a LMS; contrary to the impression you have...
The LMSs are intended to perform duties not required by larger combatants and if performing duties in scenarios which are demanding; will operate alongside other assets.... - period/full stop. Not hard to fathom.
gonggok - ''LMS even be taken seriously by the chinese Aircraft Carrier Task Force in their list of threats?''
You must as well start talking about the tooth fairy or the flying monkey with fangs.... For one; the LMSs are not intended to go against a ''chinese Aircraft Carrier Task Force' [that is not what LMSs are for] and even if we had a force structure of 25 frigates we would still not be able to go head to head against the PLAN. It's as silly as suggesting that a AV-8 can't go head to head against a Leo 2A6.
gonggok - ''realistically RMN deploy to give some sort of fear factor to the chinese fleet?''
What sort of question and statement is that? The PLAN does not hesitate to go head to head against the likes of the USN and JSDMF; you seriously think there's anything we can do to install the ''fear factor'' [I quote you] in the PLAN? Seriously?
A reminder; not only does the PLAN have the ability to strike at us even before we can detect its ships on radar; it has the EW and cyber means to disrupt our radars, GPSs, radios, SATCOMs, CMS, cell phones, etc, not to mention the various types of assets - in numbers - it can deploy. Yet you'd seriously talk about us and the ''fear factor'' and claim the LMS are useless against a ''chinese Aircraft Carrier Task Force''?
Fantasies aside; what we can do and what has long been our policy is to acquire a deterrent level in line with out actual capabilities and resources to deal with the threats we are likely to face; those threats by the way do not include a conflict with a nuclear armed country with a major qualitative and numerical edge over us and one which spends much much more on defence.
You are not the first and won't be the last to believe that we actually have a chance against the PLAN or that being in conflict with China is on our list of scenarios. If indeed we are ever in conflict with China; it will be alongside Tier 1 militaries and the RMN will play a periphery role.
ASM - ''One scenario I could think of is China would just simply use the CCG to overwhelm our fleet with its numbers then send the PLAN to do the moping up.''
We simply are not a concern for China - let's not flatter ourselves. China is focused on the likes of the U.S. and Japan. Forget the kinetic means; even before a missile starts flying imagine what would happen if our radar network was jammed; followed by our radios, GPPs and SATCOM? Even if the national phone grid or internet network was hit by a cyber attack; this would have an effect on the MAF.
ASM - ''there’s really nothing in the RMN inventory provides any fear factor''
Indeed. It's gaga cloud cuckoo land wishful delusional thinking to assume we can.
China has a population of a billion; it has the largest economy; it has a manufacturing/industrial base larger than almost the rest of the world combined; it spends trillions on defence and it planning cycles and force structure is centered on the possibility of conflict with the U.S, Japan, Australia an other countries which have Tier 1 militaries. Also, what China spends on cyber warfare is 3-4 times larger than our defence budget; plus the fact which many overlook; our economy is hugely tied to China's. A conflict with China would ruin the Malaysian economy.
Azlan - What is this; comedy or fan boy hour?
Comedy is wasting money equipping and buying expensive brand new stuff for RMN to do a coast guard role when we have MMEA. I am talking about using the same budget to buy MMEA more proper OPVs instead of RMN getting LMS which realistically can only survive when operated only as an OPV.
Azlan - A reminder; not only does the PLAN have the ability to strike at us even before we can detect its ships on radar;
A reminder of exactly why even fully armed LMS for RMN is a useless boat, as it can easily be blown out of the water, and buying more OPVs for MMEA with that money is better. RMN needs stuff that would be hard to detect by PLAN.
Azlan - our policy is to acquire a deterrent level in line with out actual capabilities and resources to deal with the threats we are likely to face;
So tell me what is the threat RMN is going to face in the future.
Azlan - It’s gaga cloud cuckoo land wishful delusional thinking to assume we can
We can. By having a strong MMEA for peacetime maritime security. And a lean RMN with difficult to detect assets like more submarines.
Vietnam is doing such, expanding rapidly its coast guard, while having a lean navy prioritizing its underwater deterrence with 6 latest Kilo 636 class submarines.