Lekiu Class Frigate

The Lekiu class frigates are presently the most modern major assets of the Royal Malaysian Navy. The class comprised two vessels, F29 KD Jebat and F30 KD Lekiu. The class is named after the second ship of the class which was launched earlier than the Jebat.

The ships were built in the UK by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Glasgow (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) from the company's standard F2000 light frigate design. The Lekiu was launched in December 1994 while the Jebat was launched in May 1995. The Jebat carries the lower pennant number (F 29) to signify the seniority of this ship, which accommodates the Admiral of the Royal Malaysian Navy. (Hang Jebat succeeded Hang Tuah as Laksamana (Admiral) during the Melaka Sultanate, while Hang Lekiu was never made a Laksamana.)

The purchase of the two ships of the Lekiu class involved a major Transfer of Technology programme as well as an off set programme where some portion of the contract value would involve purchases and services contracted to Malaysian companies.

Delivery and operational status were delayed due to integration of combat systems problems. Both ships were commissioned in March and May 1999. The ships was a huge jump in capability compared to the frigates then operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy, the F24 KD Rahmat and F76 KD Hang Tuah (ex-HMS Mermaid).

Both F29 KD Jebat and F30 KD Lekiu serve in the 23 Frigate Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Navy.

Lekiu Class
Name:	Lekiu class
Builders:	Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow, UK
Operators:	Royal Malaysian Navy
General characteristics
Type:	F2000
Displacement:	2,270 tons full load
Length:	106 metres
Beam:	12.75 metres
Draught:	3.08 metres
Propulsion:	Main Propulsion: 4 x MTU 20V 1163 TB93 diesel engines, 24.5MW, Twin shafts with Kamewa controllable pitch propellers
Speed:	28 kts
Range:	5000 nm
Complement:	146 with 18 officers
Sensors and processing systems:	Combat System: BAE Systems Insyte Nautis F combat data system Search radar: Ericsson Sea Giraffe Surface search radar G and H bands Thales Netherlands (Signaal) DA-08 air search operating at E and F bands Navigation radar: Thales Defence I-band navigation radar Fire control radars: 2 x Marconi 1802SW, Alenia Marconi Systems Nautis F combat data system, Radamec Series 2000 Optronic weapon director, BAE SYSTEMS 1802 fire control radars operating at I and J bands Thermal Imager: BAE Type V 3001 Integrated Communications System:
Electronic warfare and decoys:	ESM: BAE Mentor-A ECM: Thales Defense Scimitar Decoy: 2 Super Barricade 12 barrelled launchers, Graseby Sea Siren torpedo decoy
Armament:	Guns : 1 x Bofors 57mm/70 Dual Purpose Guns A position 2 x 30 mm MSI-Defence DS30 machine gun B-position Anti-air missile : 16 x BAE Sea Wolf VLS Anti-surface missile : 2 x 4 MBDA MM40 Blk II Exocet Torpedoes: 2 x B515 triple 12.75 inch torpedo for Whitehead 324mm tubes Sonar: Thales Underwater Systems Spherion TSM 2633 LF sonar
Aircraft carried:	1 x Super Lynx 300