Malaysia turns to Turkiye after Norway blocks missile supply for LCS

Turkiye has been selected as the preferred supplier of a replacement missile for the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) littoral combat ship (LCS) project, after Norway failed to issue an export licence for the naval strike missile (NSM) despite Malaysia having paid for the procurement.

Defence Minister Khaled Nordin said the government had evaluated proposals from several countries, including Turkiye, France, and Italy, based on price, delivery timelines, and upfront costs.

With the Norwegian deal stalled, Malaysia is preparing to pursue legal action through arbitration while seeking an alternative supplier to ensure the country's defence needs are met.

Khaled said the government had reached a deadlock in initial negotiations with Norway and was now moving to the next stage of dispute resolution, which involves establishing a committee between the two parties.

"If that process fails, Malaysia will proceed to arbitration, which can be held in Kuala Lumpur under the NSM procurement contract," he told reporters after the Defence Ministry's 2026 Innovation Day celebration at the Mindef Auditorium today.

On the Turkish alternative, Khaled said the government had received assurances that the missile would be compatible with the LCS vessels' systems, although this would be examined further during negotiations with the Turkish company.

He said the Turkish missile was of the same surface-to-surface category as that originally intended for the LCS, allowing supplies to be obtained earlier, potentially as soon as 2028.

The missile has an operational range of 240km, with comparable explosive power and greater effectiveness than competing missiles, he added.

On costs, Khaled said Malaysia would not have to bear the full expense of procuring an entirely new missile system, as part of the cost had already been absorbed under the existing LCS contract.

Instead, the government would likely only need to pay for installing the launchers and integrating the Turkish missile system with the ships.

"If we did not have the LCS, we would have to order new missiles, which could cost RM700 million, RM800 million, or RM900 million. Now, we do not need to spend that amount to replace the NSM," he said.

Khaled said Malaysia would now engage the Turkish side in further negotiations to finalise the arrangement.

- Bernama

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