Royal Malaysian Navy submarine refit facility now fully functional

KOTA KINABALU: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) Submarine Base now has a fully functional Scorpene Class Submarine maintenance facility in South East Asia. The refit facility was completed by Trans Resources Corporation Sdn Bhd (TRC) on January 14 after work began on September 8, 2014. It comprises three blocks that contain seven workshops to conduct maintenance and repair on piping, hull, machine, combat systems, composite, paint and battery, as well as offices and changing rooms. Yesterday Naval Chief, Admiral Datuk Seri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin visited the base to inspect the first refit work at the facility on the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman submarine. The facility is located at the Boustead DCNS Naval Corporation Sdn Bhd dockyards. Kamarulzaman said the maintenance facility in Sabah would save the Navy from having to send submarine components or parts abroad for maintenance. “The completion of the facility makes the Submarine Base the best Scorpene base in the region,” he said, adding that the dockyards could accommodate 250 people at any given time. Refitting work of submarines is carried out locally and involves maintaining and repairing 14,000 components. Kamarulzaman said it would provide exposure and opportunities to local industries involved in the maintenance of submarines. “This will reduce dependence on foreign skill and labour and hence save outward cash flow from the country,” he added. Further, the work which also includes local labour proved Malaysia’s capabilities in performing any given job and was one way to help protect the nation’s highly confidential strategies. “It also proves the expertise of our local defence industries and can boost confidence among Malaysians on our submarines. “For instance, the dock workers use a robot, which is manufactured by a company in Terengganu to clean the hull of the submarine and even the French engineers have acknowledged that this is an achievement because even they still clean submarine hulls manually in France,” he said. He explained that the current condition and appearance of submarines actually depicted that the submarine had been underwater many times. “I know many people doubt whether our submarines can actually submerge but I assure you they can submerge. Even now, the KD Tun Razak is currently on an operation and it is actually underwater. “The Submarine Force utilises every opportunity it has to go on subsurface operations,” he said, adding that he might one day have members of the media given the opportunity to be on the submarine when it goes on a subsurface mission. Kamarulzaman was touring the Sepanggar Naval Base for the first time as Naval Chief since he assumed the post on November 18, 2015. He was accompanied by the Region 2 Naval Commander, Rear Admiral Datuk Khairul Anuar Yahya and Submarine Force Chief, Rear Admiral Datuk Abdul Rahman Ayob as well as senior naval officers. Kamarulzaman, previously held the post of the First Region Naval Commander 2 in Kota Kinabalu as well as being Joint Forces Chief in charge of the security of Sabah and Sarawak waters. He was also directly involved in Ops Daulat during the Lahad Datu intrusion in 2013. Earlier, a parade was held at the Naval Base to welcome him followed by a speech from Kamarulzaman to the officers and personnel serving at the Kota Kinabalu Naval Base. He then attended the handing over ceremony of the Auxiliary Vessel Bunga Mas Lima. Also present with him were Boustead DCNS Naval Corporation Chief Executive, Jean-Luc Bianchini and member of the Board of Directors of the Sabah Housing and Town Development Authority (SHTDA), Datuk Seruji Nawawi.

By : CLEOPHAS JOHN GORDON

New sabah Times