KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Malaysia is on track to receive its first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) by 2026, with construction progressing according to schedule, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin confirmed today.

He further assured that the remaining ships in the fleet are expected to be delivered in the subsequent years as planned, reflecting the government’s commitment to bolstering the nation’s maritime defence capabilities.

"The building and delivery of the LCS ships are on schedule and we can expect delivery by 2026 and beyond. We should have 11 LCS ships to protect our waters and we're in the process of building five. One of these ships is undergoing sea trials for a year now and we expect by 2026 it'll be ready," Khaled, who is also Umno vice-president, said during Umno's Pen Talk event at the World Trade Centre.

The government recently acquired three additional LCS ships at a cost of approximately RM2.5 billion, with these expected to be ready by October 2027. The LCS fleet is seen as crucial for maintaining peace and sovereignty in light of ongoing conflicts in the South China Sea.

The LCS project has faced scrutiny due to significant delays and budget overruns, with costs escalating from an initial RM6 billion to RM11.22 billion.

The delivery target was also reduced from six to five vessels. The procurement process has been heavily criticised following a 2022 Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, which highlighted severe mismanagement and financial issues at Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS), the company responsible for the project.

In addition to the LCS programme, Khaled announced the expected delivery of 18 FA-50 light fighter jets from South Korea, costing around RM4 billion.

He also highlighted that the National Service Training Programme (PLKN) is set to launch next year, involving Form Four students, public universities, and selected polytechnics.

The programme aims to instill patriotism and counter extremist ideologies.

"Fanaticism, extremism and such that we are facing in Malaysia we hope to eradicate during the PLKN. We want to instill love for the country, for other races, for the public and to reject extremist beliefs so we can all live in harmony," Khaled added.