South Korea's LIG Nex1 Seals RMN Missile Deal For LMS Batch 2

KUALA LUMPUR, April 22 (Bernama) -- South Korean aerospace and defence manufacturer, LIG Nex1 has signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) for the supply of surface-to-air missile systems for the Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) Batch 2 project.

The LOA involves integrating the HAEGUNG (Sea Bow) missile system onto Turkish-built vessels, marking a shift for the RMN.

LIG Nex1 Malaysia Office head Daniel Lee said the agreement reflects RMN’s confidence in the company’s technology and long-standing partnership.

“RMN recognises our performance and technology. We have built a relationship of trust over the past seven years,” he told Bernama at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) and National Security Asia (NATSEC) 2026 exhibitions held here today.

Earlier, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin announced the ministry has secured and signed 24 contracts and industrial collaboration programmes (ICPs) worth RM3.54 billion at DSA and NATSEC Asia 2026 exhibition.

Lee said discussions with Turkish shipbuilder STM have been ongoing to ensure the system's smooth integration in line with project timelines.

The agreement, he said, aligns with LIG Nex1’s broader plan to position Malaysia as its strategic regional base in Southeast Asia.

“Malaysia is our Asia strategic forward base. Compared to other locations, it is a strategic location in terms of geography and diplomatic relations,” he said, adding that Malaysia’s political and economic stability, skilled workforce, and established aerospace ecosystem made it an ideal hub for the ASEAN market.

On its future plans, Lee said the company is exploring joint ventures with local partners, beginning with maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) before moving towards local assembly.

“We are currently looking for local partners to form joint ventures, which will initially focus on maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) before transitioning to local assembly,” he said.

“We are responding to the Malaysian government’s emphasis on localisation by planning, in the mid- to long term, to establish a joint venture and are currently seeking a suitable local partner aligned with that vision,” he added.

-- BERNAMA