ID :
23086
Tue, 10/07/2008 - 13:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23086
The shortlink copeid
RMN PLANS SUBMARINE TRAINING FACILITY AT SEPANGGAR BAY NAVAL BASE From Muin Abdul Majid
CARTAGENA (Spain), Oct 7 (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) plans to establish a training centre for submariners at the soon-to-be-completed Sepanggar Bay naval base in East Malaysia of Sabah-state, the home base of the two RMN Scorpene submarines, said navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar.
"We plan to conduct such training in our own country. We've acquired a
simulator to train future submariners," he told Malaysian journalists Monday
after attending a rehearsal for the launch of Malaysia's second Scorpene
submarine at the Navantia shipyard here.
The craft is scheduled to be officially launched and named "KD Tun
Razak",
after Malaysia's second prime minister, by Queen Tuanku Nur
Zahirah on Wednesday. The Malaysian queen will be in Spain with the King Tuanku
Mizan Zainal Abidin.
For the first few years, Abdul Aziz ssaid, the RMN would likely
continue to
seek assistance from the French in efforts to set up the centre and build up
the capability to train Malaysian submariners at the RM690 million RMN base in
Sepanggar Bay, expected to be ready in February 2009.
Malaysia ordered two brand new Scorpene submarines for RM3.4 billion in
2002 which are being jointly built by French shipbuilding firm DCNS and its
partner, Navantia, a leading Spanish shipbuilding company which has been
building submarines since 1888.
The first submarine, called "KD Tunku Abdul Rahman", after Malaysia's first
prime minister, was launched at DCNS shipyard in Cherbourg, France, in October
last year.
Abdul Aziz said the RMN was looking forward to receiving the two
state-of-the-art vessels as this would enable the Malaysian navy to enhance its
capability in ensuring the safety of the country's territorial waters.
"The RMN will be celebrating its 75th anniversary on April 27, 2009. So the
presence of the two vessels would add meaning to the celebration," he
said.
The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is expected to be commissioned on Jan
25, 2009 and will travel back to Malaysia in May, arriving by late July,
2009.
Abdul Aziz said the craft would take part in the Langkawi International
Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) exhibition, scheduled for December, 2009.
Meanwhile, the KD Tun Razak is expected to be commissioned on Oct 25, 2009
and will set sail for Malaysia in January 2010, arriving home two months later.
A total of 142 RMN personnel are currently undergoing training in France to
prepare them for Scorpene duties.
"We're grateful to the French and Spanish naval forces for their excellent
cooperation and continued assistance in ensuring that the training programme
for our would-be submariners goes according to plan," said Abdul Aziz.
The navy chief viewed the submarines as important force multiplier and
deterrent assets for the RMN as they could undertake, among others,
surveillance, intelligence work, offensive missions and deploy navy commandos
using a submersible vessel.
The two Scorpene vessels would be deployed mainly in the South China Sea as
well as other areas, depending on the requirements.
To a question, Abdul Aziz reckoned that the purchase of submarines was a
necessity for any naval force, and the RMN was no exception.
"The acquisition of the two vessels should not be seen as trying to outdo
other naval forces in our region," he said. Abdul Aziz expressed confidence that
the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Razak would be able to perform their tasks
effectively towards safeguarding the country's territorial waters and its
sovereignty.
He was also hopeful that the government would consider acquiring a
multi-role support ship for the Malaysian Armed Forces.
The navy chief felt that there was a need for such a vessel, as demonstrated
by the recent hijackings of two ships belonging to Malaysia's MISC Berhad, in
the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden.
He said that having a multi-role support ship would help in allowing MISC
and other Malaysian companies to operate their vessels without any worries.
"And the RMN will continue to extend our assistance according to the needs
of the country and directives from the government," he added.
The Malaysian government had sent two warships -- KD Lekiu and KD
Inderapura
-- and a patrol vessel, KD Pahang, to escort MISC vessels using the Gulf of Aden
following the seizures of the MT Bunga Melati Dua and MT Bunga Melati 5 on Aug
19 and Aug 29 respectively.
The two hijacked ships had since been released and their crew members had
returned home safely.
"We plan to conduct such training in our own country. We've acquired a
simulator to train future submariners," he told Malaysian journalists Monday
after attending a rehearsal for the launch of Malaysia's second Scorpene
submarine at the Navantia shipyard here.
The craft is scheduled to be officially launched and named "KD Tun
Razak",
after Malaysia's second prime minister, by Queen Tuanku Nur
Zahirah on Wednesday. The Malaysian queen will be in Spain with the King Tuanku
Mizan Zainal Abidin.
For the first few years, Abdul Aziz ssaid, the RMN would likely
continue to
seek assistance from the French in efforts to set up the centre and build up
the capability to train Malaysian submariners at the RM690 million RMN base in
Sepanggar Bay, expected to be ready in February 2009.
Malaysia ordered two brand new Scorpene submarines for RM3.4 billion in
2002 which are being jointly built by French shipbuilding firm DCNS and its
partner, Navantia, a leading Spanish shipbuilding company which has been
building submarines since 1888.
The first submarine, called "KD Tunku Abdul Rahman", after Malaysia's first
prime minister, was launched at DCNS shipyard in Cherbourg, France, in October
last year.
Abdul Aziz said the RMN was looking forward to receiving the two
state-of-the-art vessels as this would enable the Malaysian navy to enhance its
capability in ensuring the safety of the country's territorial waters.
"The RMN will be celebrating its 75th anniversary on April 27, 2009. So the
presence of the two vessels would add meaning to the celebration," he
said.
The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman is expected to be commissioned on Jan
25, 2009 and will travel back to Malaysia in May, arriving by late July,
2009.
Abdul Aziz said the craft would take part in the Langkawi International
Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) exhibition, scheduled for December, 2009.
Meanwhile, the KD Tun Razak is expected to be commissioned on Oct 25, 2009
and will set sail for Malaysia in January 2010, arriving home two months later.
A total of 142 RMN personnel are currently undergoing training in France to
prepare them for Scorpene duties.
"We're grateful to the French and Spanish naval forces for their excellent
cooperation and continued assistance in ensuring that the training programme
for our would-be submariners goes according to plan," said Abdul Aziz.
The navy chief viewed the submarines as important force multiplier and
deterrent assets for the RMN as they could undertake, among others,
surveillance, intelligence work, offensive missions and deploy navy commandos
using a submersible vessel.
The two Scorpene vessels would be deployed mainly in the South China Sea as
well as other areas, depending on the requirements.
To a question, Abdul Aziz reckoned that the purchase of submarines was a
necessity for any naval force, and the RMN was no exception.
"The acquisition of the two vessels should not be seen as trying to outdo
other naval forces in our region," he said. Abdul Aziz expressed confidence that
the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Razak would be able to perform their tasks
effectively towards safeguarding the country's territorial waters and its
sovereignty.
He was also hopeful that the government would consider acquiring a
multi-role support ship for the Malaysian Armed Forces.
The navy chief felt that there was a need for such a vessel, as demonstrated
by the recent hijackings of two ships belonging to Malaysia's MISC Berhad, in
the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden.
He said that having a multi-role support ship would help in allowing MISC
and other Malaysian companies to operate their vessels without any worries.
"And the RMN will continue to extend our assistance according to the needs
of the country and directives from the government," he added.
The Malaysian government had sent two warships -- KD Lekiu and KD
Inderapura
-- and a patrol vessel, KD Pahang, to escort MISC vessels using the Gulf of Aden
following the seizures of the MT Bunga Melati Dua and MT Bunga Melati 5 on Aug
19 and Aug 29 respectively.
The two hijacked ships had since been released and their crew members had
returned home safely.
