Turkish defense firm STM launched Tunku Osman Jewa, the last of three corvettes built for the Royal Malaysian Navy, on August 9, 2026, at Istanbul Shipyard, completing the launch of all three vessels in roughly four months.
The ships mark Turkey’s first corvette export to the Asia-Pacific region. With the launch behind them, they now move into outfitting, system integration, and harbor and sea acceptance testing. STM aims to deliver all three corvettes to the Royal Malaysian Navy by the end of 2027.
The vessels are being built under the LMS Batch-2 (Littoral Mission Ship Phase 2) Program, with STM as prime contractor. The deal is the first government-to-government (G2G) defense trade between Turkey and Malaysia.
A high-profile launch
The ceremony was attended by the Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Badlishah, and the Sultanah of Kedah, Sultanah Maliha binti Almarhum Tengku Ariff. Also present were Malaysian Chief of Defense Staff General Datuk Haji Malek Razak bin Sulaiman; Mustafa Murat Şeker, Deputy Chairman of Turkey’s Defense Industries Presidency (SSB); SSB Deputy Chairman and STM Board Chairman Prof. Dr. İhsan Kaya; and STM General Manager Özgür Güleryüz.
Around 50 Turkish companies involved
Şeker said the ships carry systems developed by roughly 50 Turkish defense companies, led by ASELSAN, HAVELSAN, and ROKETSAN.
“Today, Turkey is among the few countries in the world able to independently design, build, and integrate the systems for its own warships,” Şeker said. “The three corvettes we will deliver next year will stand as lasting symbols of the strategic partnership between Turkey and Malaysia.”
General Malek Razak bin Sulaiman said the corvettes would gradually replace the navy’s aging fleet. “These corvettes will strengthen the Royal Malaysian Navy’s ability to protect our waters in an increasingly complex operational environment,” he said. “The launch is a milestone, not the end of the journey. We must deliver all the ships by the end of 2027.”
Güleryüz called the project a concrete example of strategic cooperation between the two countries. “By launching three corvettes in just four months, we have reached another major milestone,” he said. “With the same determination and care, we aim to deliver all three ships by the end of 2027.”
Project timeline
Turkey and Malaysia signed the G2G Memorandum of Understanding on the procurement of defense products, along with the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for the LMS Batch-2 Project, on June 10 in Ankara. The steel-cutting ceremony took place on December 4, 2024, and the keel-laying on April 8, 2025, in Istanbul.
The first ship, Tunku Laksamana Abdul Jalil, was launched on May 24, 2026, and the second, Raja Laut, on June 7, 2026. The third ship is named after Malaysia’s third Chief of Defense Staff, General (Ret.) Tan Sri Tunku Osman Tunku Mohammad Jewa.
Vessel specifications
As prime contractor, STM is responsible for every phase of the project, from design to delivery — including vessel design, project and construction management, procurement of materials and systems, integration, testing, and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS).
The corvettes are fitted with ASELSAN’s 30 mm MUHAFIZ remote-controlled stabilized gun system, the CENK 3D search radar, the ARES 2D surface-radar electronic support system, the AKREP fire-control radar, a chaff decoy system, and an Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) system. They will also carry ROKETSAN’s ATMACA anti-ship missile and HAVELSAN’s combat management system and 76 mm gun fire-control system.
Each vessel measures 99.56 meters in length, displaces 2,500 metric tons, and reaches a top speed of 26 knots. The ships feature a helicopter landing platform and accommodate a crew of 111.
