KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin (F136)

KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin (F136) is the third ship of Laksamana-class corvette currently in service with the Royal Malaysian Navy. She built by Fincantieri based on the Type 550 corvette design and currently serving in the 24th corvette Squadron of the Royal Malaysian Navy.[3]

KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin (F136)
History
Iraq
NameAbdullah Ibn Abi Serh
NamesakeAbdallah ibn Sa'd
OrderedFebruary 1981
BuilderFincantieri, Mestre
Laid down22 March 1982
Launched5 July 1983
Completed1987
IdentificationPennant number: F214
FateNever delivered to Iraq due to sanctions, later sold to Malaysia 1997
Malaysia
NameKD Laksamana Muhammad Amin
NamesakeLaksamana Mohamad Amin [ms]
Acquired20 February 1997
Commissioned31 July 1999
IdentificationPennant number: F136
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeLaksamana-class corvette
Displacement675 long tons (686 t) full load
Length62.3 m (204 ft 5 in)
Beam9.3 m (30 ft 6 in)
Draught2.8 m (9 ft 2 in)
Propulsion
  • 4 MTU 20V 956 TB 92 diesels
  • 4 shafts developing
  • 20,400 bhp (15,200 kW)
Speed36 knots (67 km/h)
Range2,300 nautical miles (4,300 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement56
Sensors and
processing systems
  • RAN-12 air/surface search radar
  • RTN-10X fire control radar
  • Kelvin Hughes 1007 navigation radar
  • Diodon hull sonar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Gamma suite
  • SCLAR chaff
Armament
NotesThe missile might be removed due to being obsolete[1][2]

Development

edit

The Laksamana-class corvettes of the Royal Malaysian Navy are modified Assad-class corvettes built by Fincantieri, Italy. They were originally ordered by Iraqi Navy in February 1981.[4] The corvettes were never delivered to Iraq and instead refitted and sold to Malaysia in mid 1990s.[5]

Service history

edit

Laksamana Muhammad Amin were originally ordered by the Iraqi Navy as Abdullah Ibn Abi Serh (F214). Her keel was laid down on 22 March 1982, launched on 5 July 1983 and she was completed in 1987.[4] Upon her completion, Abdullah Ibn Abi Serh was laid up at Muggiano due to trade embargo during Iran–Iraq War that prevented her from being delivered to Iraq.[4] She was finally released for delivery in 1990, but as Iraq was again embargoed following its invasion of Kuwait, the ship was kept laid up by Fincantieri. It was proposed that she would be requisitioned by Italian Navy or sold to either Morocco or Colombia.[6]

Royal Malaysian Navy signed a contract with Fincantieri for Abdullah Ibn Abi Serh and her sister Salah Ad Din Alayoobi on 20 February 1997. She and her sister were refitted at Muggiano and later arrived in Malaysia in September 1999.[5] The ship was commissioned as KD Laksamana Muhammad Amin on 31 July 1999.[5] Due to their age, she together with the other sister ships will be upgraded and refitted to extend their service life.[7][8]

Citations

edit
  1. ^ "Malaysian Defence - Back To Future II".
  2. ^ "Back in The Saddle Again".
  3. ^ "RMN Official Page - Laksamana Class".
  4. ^ a b c Sharpe 1989, p. 282
  5. ^ a b c Saunders 2009, p. 497
  6. ^ Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 188-189
  7. ^ "Malaysian Navy mulls Chinese kit for Laksamana-class upgrades | IHS Jane's 360". Janes.com. 2015-04-27. Retrieved 2016-02-05.
  8. ^ "Malaysia to Upgrade Corvette Electronics".

References

edit
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen; Budzbon, Przemysław (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781557501325.
  • Sharpe, Capt. Richard (1989). Jane's Fighting Ships 1989-90. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710608864.
  • Saunders, Stephen (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710628886.