Submarines built by French and Spanish firms

BOTH the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman and KD Tun Abdul Razak are to be based at the Royal Malaysian Navy base in Telok Sepanggar, Sabah, which was built specifically for submarines. The base also houses maintenance, training and personnel facilities for the vessels.

The two Scorpene submarines were built in separate modules at the Navantia shipyard in Cartagena, Spain, and the DCNS yard in Cherboug, France, before the hulls were joined and launched. The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman was fitted out at the Cherboug shipyard while KD Tun Abdul Razak was completed at the Navantia shipyard.

Apart from the two submarines, the deal also included the purchase and refurbishment of an Agosta class submarine, which is used to train RMN personnel. Some 150 RMN personnel were sent to Brest, France, for training as part of the procurement programme.

The Scorpenes are classified as Perdana Menteri Class submarines with the RMN. Both submarines are armed with Blackshark wire-guided torpedoes and Exocet SM39 antiship missiles.

They can carry out anti-submarine or anti-surface ship warfare, as well as special forces deployment in coastal waters.

Both vessels are equipped with necessary emergency systems to ensure the survival of its 32-man crew for seven days. The submarines are reportedly able to spend an average of 240 days at sea a year.