Royal Malaysian Navy
Royal Malaysian Navy | |
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Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia تنترا لاءوت دراج مليسيا | |
Vice Admiral Dato' Shamsuddin Ludin | |
Insignia | |
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Ensign | ![]() |
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The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN,
History
Straits Settlement Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Malaysian Navy can trace its roots to the formation of the Straits Settlement Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (SSRNVR) in Singapore on 27 April 1934 by the
With the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe, the SSRNVR increased the recruitment of mainly indigenous personnel into the force, to beef up local defences as Royal Navy resources were required in Europe. Members of the SSRNVR were called up to active duty and the force was augmented by members of the Royal Navy Malay Section. This formed the basis of the navy in Malaya, called the Malay Navy, manned by indigenous
After world war II – Formation of the Malayan Naval Force
The Malay Navy was reactivated on 24 December 1948 at the outbreak of the
Independence
On 12 July 1958, soon after attaining its independence on 31 August 1957, the
On 16 September 1963, the naval force was renamed the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), following the formation of Malaysia. Eighteen
Malaysianisation
Following the end of Indonesian confrontation in 1966, Tunku Abdul Rahman and his colleagues decided to Malaysianise the top posts in the navy and air force. They offered these posts to two senior Malaysian army generals, who declined for two main reasons. First they felt that they were not professionally qualified and second because they did not want to jeopardise their own careers in the army. Tunku and his colleagues then decided that they would select two officers, one from the navy and one from the air force, and appoint them chiefs of their respective services. They were fully aware of Rear Admiral Datuk K. Thanabalasingam's age —he was 31 years old and a bachelor- but decided to appoint him and take the risk. Under Thanabalasingam and with Tunku Abdul Rahman's foresight and will, they were responsible for initiating the gradual transformation of the navy from a coastal navy (brown water force) to a sea-going navy (green water navy).
1970s onwards
In 1977, the RMN acquired the frigate
The RMN purchased several types of missile boats in the 1970s and 1980s. These were four
Modernisation

The modernisation of the RMN began in the late 1980s. Four
Anti-piracy efforts
The Royal Malaysian Navy has been
The Royal Malaysian Navy was also involved in the operation to secure the release of MT Orkim Harmony that was hijacked in 2015 by a group of Indonesian pirates. All of the pirates were captured with the help of Vietnam Border Guard (VNBG), Vietnam Coast Guard (VNCG),[13] Royal Australian Air Force[14] and the Indonesian Navy.[15]
Sulu militants intrusion on Sabah
Following the Sulu militants' intrusion, a military standoff lasted from 11 February 2013 until 24 March 2013
Malaysian security forces surrounded the village of Tanduo in Lahad Datu where the group had gathered and after several weeks of negotiations and broken deadlines for the intruders to withdraw, security forces moved in and routed the militants. The Royal Malaysian Navy enforced a naval blockade during and after the standoff to ensure that no more Sulu militants would be able to reach Sabah. The assets allocated for the blockade included KD Jebat, KD Perak, KD Todak, among many others. The RMN also provided a naval special warfare unit for joint operations with army, air force and police commandos to track down and neutralise any militants left after the standoff.
Commanders
List of chiefs of the Royal Malaysian Navy
Source.[22]
No | Name | Term Began | Term Ended |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Commodore Edward Dudley Norman | 15 May 1957 | 7 February 1960 |
2 | Captain W.J. Dovers | 8 February 1960 | 13 July 1962 |
3 | Commodore A.M. Synnot | 14 July 1962 | March 1965 |
4 | Commodore A.N. Dollard | March 1965 | 30 November 1967 |
5 | Rear Admiral Tan Sri Dato' Seri K. Thanabalasingam | 1 December 1967 | 31 December 1976 |
6 | Vice Admiral Dato' Mohammad Zain Mohammad Salleh | 1 January 1977 | 31 Januari 1986 |
7 | Vice Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Wahab Hj Nawi | 1 February 1986 | 31 October 1990 |
8 | Vice Admiral Tan Sri Mohammad Shariff Ishak | 1 November 1990 | 12 October 1995 |
9 | Vice Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Hj Mohd Nor | 13 October 1995 | 14 October 1998 |
10 | Admiral Tan Sri Dato' Seri Abu Bakar Abdul Jamal | 14 October 1998 | 12 August 2002 |
11 | Admiral Datuk Mohammad Ramly Abu Bakar | 13 August 2002 | 12 August 2003 |
12 | Admiral Tan Sri Dato' Seri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor | 13 August 2003 | 27 April 2005 |
13 | Admiral Tan Sri Ilyas Hj Din | 28 April 2005 | 14 November 2006 |
14 | Admiral Tan Sri Ramlan Mohamed Ali | 15 November 2006 | 31 March 2008 |
15 | Admiral Tan Sri Dato' Seri Abdul Aziz Hj Jaafar | 1 April 2008 | 18 November 2015 |
16 | Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Hj Ahmad Badaruddin | 18 November 2015 | 29 November 2018 |
17 | Admiral Tan Sri Mohd Reza Mohd Sany | 30 November 2018 | 27 January 2023 |
18 | Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Hj Ayob | 27 January 2023 | 1 August 2024 |
19 | Admiral Datuk Zulhelmy Ithnain | 1 August 2024 | current |
-
Admiral Tan Sri Ramlan Mohamed Ali in Spain
-
Admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Hj Ahmad Badaruddin in India
Ranks
Sleeve insignia were similar from those of the Royal Navy, but rarely used and mostly used especially during foreign visits.
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Laksamana Armada | Laksamana | Laksamana Madya | Laksamana Muda | Laksamana Pertama | Kapten | Komander | Leftenan Komander | Leftenan | Leftenan Madya | Leftenan Muda |
The Sultan of Selangor, as Commodore-in-Chief of the RMN, holds the rank of Honorary Rear Admiral and as such wears a normal Rear Admiral's uniform.
Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pegawai Waran I | Pegawai Waran II | Bintara Kanan | Bintara Muda | Laskar Kanan | Laskar Kelas I | Laskar Kelas II | Perajurit Muda |
Squadrons



- Squadron Submarine
- Squadron 23rd Frigate
- Squadron 22nd Corvette
- Squadron 24th Corvette
- Squadron 17th PV
- Squadron 11th LMS
- Squadron 1st FAC
- Squadron 2nd FAC
- Squadron 6th FAC
- Squadron 13th PC
- Squadron Fast Troop Vessel
- Squadron 26th Mine Counter Measure Vessel
- Squadron 31st MPCSS
- Squadron 32nd Sealift
- Squadron 36th Hydro
- Squadron 27th Training Vessel
- Squadron Diving Tender
- Squadron Tug
- Squadron 501st Super Lynx
- Squadron 502nd Fennec
- Squadron 503rd AW139
- Squadron 601st UAS
Fleets
Royal Malaysian Navy have two main fleets:
- Western fleet (In Malay: Armada Barat)
- The fleet HQ was at Lumut Naval Base, Lumut, Perak. The chief of the fleet is Vice Admiral Dato’ Ts. Shamsuddin bin Hj Ludin.
- Eastern fleet (In Malay: Armada Timur)
- The fleet HQ was at Sepanggar Naval Base, Sepanggar, Sabah. The chief of the fleet is Vice Admiral Datuk Hj Muhammad Ruzelme bin Hj Ahmad Fahimy.
Bases

The RMN's Fleet HQ is called KD Malaya, in
Another base is constructed on Pulau Langkawi, Kedah to provide the RMN with readier access into the Indian Ocean. Ready access into the Pacific Ocean is available via the existing base at Labuan and Semporna, Sabah.
List of naval bases
Peninsular Malaysia

- )
- TLDM Tanjung Gelang, Kuantan, Pahang (HQ Naval Region I)
- TLDM Bukit Malut, Langkawi, Kedah (HQ Naval Region III) (KD Badlishah)
- TLDM Tanjung Pengelih, Johor (Recruit Training Centre) (PULAREK) (KD Sultan Ismail)
- National Hydrographic Centre, Pulau Indah, Selangor (KD Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah)
- TLDM Johor Bahru, Johor Bahru, Johor (KD Sri Medini)
East Malaysia
- TLDM Sepanggar, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah (HQ Eastern Fleet and HQ Submarine Force)
- TLDM Federal Territory
- TLDM Sandakan, Sabah (HQ Naval Region II)
- TLDM Semporna, Sabah
- TLDM Kuching, Sarawak
- TLDM Bintulu, Sarawak (construction confirmed)[25]
- TLDM Tawau, Sabah (KD Sri Tawau)
- Tun Sharifah Rodziah Sea Base, Semporna, Sabah (a decommissioned oil rig that were retrofitted into a permanent sea base)
Offshore bases

The Royal Malaysian Navy's five naval stations were originally built on outlying atolls, with the most developed Station Lima now expanded to a comfortably habitable naval station and also a popular diving spot in the region, in contrast with its harsh original conditions in 1983. On 21 June 1980 a claim plaque was erected on the island and three years later eighteen PASKAL men went ashore in May 1983 to build the first encampment while braving the elements. At the time, the only infrastructure available was a helipad for personnel transfer and the sailors had to camp under the open skies on the bare reef. When the naval station proper was constructed six years later with the construction of a small living-cum-operations quarters, it was also decided that the enlarged island the atoll had become would also be developed as a tourist attraction so that the tourism potential of the island could be exploited.
Thus by 1995, more buildings were added, including two air-conditioned accommodation blocks, an aircraft landing strip, two hangars, a radar station, an air traffic control tower, watchtowers and a jetty. The aviation facilities on the island allow the operation of
Offshore stations
- 1983 Station Lima (Swallow Reef)
- 1986 Station Uniform (Ardasier Reef)
- 1986 Station Mike (Mariveles Reef)
- 1999 Station Sierra (Erica Reef)
- 1999 Station Papa (Investigator Shoal)
Special forces

The special forces of the RMN is known as PASKAL (Pasukan Khas Laut or Naval Special Warfare Forces). In peacetime, the unit is tasked with responding to maritime hijacking incidents as well as protecting Malaysia's numerous offshore oil and gas platforms. Its wartime roles include seaborne infiltration, sabotaging of enemy naval assets and installations, and the defence of RMN vessels and bases. This unit is analogous to the United States Navy SEALs. On 15 April 2009, PASKAL was renamed KD Panglima Hitam (KD being the equivalent of HMS in the Royal Navy). The ceremony was held at the RMN Lumut Naval Base to honour PASKAL's courage and loyalty to the nation. Panglima Hitam was the name given to brave and loyal Malay warriors who served during the golden age of the Malay Rulers (Sultans and Rajas) of Perak, Selangor, Johor and Negeri Sembilan.[26]
Equipment
Present development

The navy has sought to modernise its fleet with the procurement of new vehicles through the New Generation Patrol Vessels (NGPV) program which produced the Kedah-class offshore patrol vessel and the Second Generation Patrol Vessel (SPGV) program which produced the Maharaja Lela-class frigate. It has also purchased Keris-class littoral mission ships (patrol vessels) and ordered three Ada-class corvettes to fulfill its Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) program. Additionally, the navy has plans to procure a new class of amphibious warfare ships, Multi Role Support Ship (MRSS), for its fleet. As part of a modernisation plan launched in 2014, the navy has also launched the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) upgrade program for aging vessels.
Kedah-class New Generation Patrol Vessel
In 1996, the RMN planned to acquire a total of 27 New Generation Patrol Vessels (NGPV) to full fill its future requirement. The German
Scorpène-class submarine
Two
On 3 September 2009, the first Scorpène submarine of Malaysia KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, arrived at a Port Klang naval base on peninsular Malaysia's west coast after a 54-day voyage from France. Another base is also being constructed on Pulau Langkawi, Kedah to provide the RMN with readier access into the Indian Ocean. Ready access into the Pacific Ocean is available via the existing base at Semporna, Sabah. Defects and problems were found in the submarines such as the inability to submerge and faults in the coolant system of the first submarine, causing delays in the delivery of the second submarine.[31] In October 2012, the Malaysian Navy chief Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar said that the submarines were in good condition and operational after all the defects repaired by manufacturer.[32]
Utility and anti-submarine helicopter
The Malaysian government is also considering to increase the total of helicopters for the RMN. This includes both utility and anti-submarine helicopter. In September 2020, it is confirmed that Malaysia has sign the contract to purchase three maritime operations helicopter for utility role. The model selected was
Multi Role Support Ship (MRSS)
RMN has an outstanding requirement for a Multi Role Support Ship (MRSS) to replace
Maharaja Lela-class frigate / Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
Malaysia has launched its program to procure new class of modern frigate. The program is called Second Generation Patrol Vessel. In 2014, Malaysia signed a contract agreement worth MYR9 billion (US$2.8 billion) which was awarded to
Littoral Mission Ship (LMS)
Malaysia had planned to owned a total of 18 ships of the littoral mission ship in its fleet. In 2016, Malaysia agreed to purchase a littoral mission ship from China where the ships will be built by China Shipbuilding & Offshore International. The first ship will be delivered by 2019, the second and third by 2020 and the fourth by 2021 for the first batch of this program. For the second batch of littoral mission ship program, Malaysia had chooses Ada-class corvette made by Turkey company, Savunma Teknolojileri Muhendislik (STM). Three ship will be built for the second batch of littoral mission ship program.[36]
Unmanned aerial vehicle
RMN has set a requirements for the maritime surveillance using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Under Maritime Security Initiatives (MSI) program initiated by United States, Malaysia will receive a total of 18
Service Life Extension Program (SLEP)
THALES Naval Division was selected as the contractor of the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) involving the Kasturi-class corvettes[38] – KD Kasturi, KD Lekir and two Mahamiru (Lerici)-class minehunters – KD Mahamiru, KD Ledang. The corvettes will receive radar and fire control upgrade while the minehunters will receive the new wide band sonar, CAPTAS-2.[39] The program aim to extend the service life of these surface combatants by another 10 years.[40][41] In the future, RMN also planned to give SLEP for other ships in the fleet to lengthening service period of older ships.
15 to 5 program
The RMN took a drastic approach by launching the '15 to 5' Fleet Transformation Program to ensure that the organisation continues as one of the powers in the region. The RMN Future Fleet 15 to 5 program is aimed at equipping the RMN with Scorpène-class submarines, Maharaja Lela-class frigates, Kedah-class offshore patrol vessels, Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) and Multi Role Support Ship (MRSS).[42]
See also
- Malaysian Armed Forces
- Malaysia Coast Guard
- Royal Malaysia Police
- Royal Johor Military Force
- Joint Forces Command
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Further reading
- James Goldrick, Jack McCaffrie, Navies of South-East Asia: A Comparative Study (London: Routledge, 2012 ISBN 9780415809429)