A critical milestone has been reached for the 99-metre behemoth that is set to become the largest platform in Malaysian coast guard history—equipped with an unmanned surface vessel (USV) and VTOL-capable UAVs. DESAN Shipyard, a dynamic player in the global defence market, successfully held the keel-laying ceremony for the second Multi-Purpose Coast Guard Ship (MPMS 2) on 25 June 2026. This vessel is built for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). With steel cutting completed on 11 February, the vessel now officially transitions to the assembly phase. During this phase, its main hull structure will begin to take shape.
The ceremony, hosted at ATLAS Shipyard which operates under the DESAN umbrella drew senior military and diplomatic figures. Attendees included Malaysia’s Consul in Istanbul, Ahmad Amiri Abu Bakar. In addition, representatives from Malaysia’s Ministry of Home Affairs and the Coast Guard command namely Shah Rizan bin Mohamad Sirat and Rear Admiral Zulinda binti Ramly were present.
Production Running Ahead of Schedule
DESAN Shipyard Chairman Cenk İsmail Kaptanoğlu reiterated the company’s priority of delivering national and international projects on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. Notably, DESAN had already made headlines recently for advancing to the production stage on this coast guard project. Sharing the latest updates, Kaptanoğlu stated: “I am pleased to say that construction on both vessels is progressing ahead of the planned schedule—a success that reflects the dedicated efforts of the DESAN team, our business partners, and project stakeholders. This project stands as a tangible hallmark of the long-term strategic partnership between Turkey and Malaysia, spanning defence industry cooperation, technology transfer, human capital development, and sustainable industrial collaboration.”
Equipped with Unmanned Maritime and Aerial Systems
At 99 metres in length and featuring an 11‑tonne-capacity helicopter deck, the MPMS will become the largest platform in the Malaysian Coast Guard’s inventory upon completion. Tasked with critical blue-water missions combating transnational crime, smuggling, and illegal fishing the vessel will significantly boost its operational edge through unmanned systems. Additionally, it includes four high‑speed intervention boats and two vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) UAVs embarked on board. The ship will also operate in tandem with one unmanned/autonomous surface vehicle (USV).
Designed to meet operational demands, the platform accommodates 70 crew members and 30 passengers. It is outfitted with an advanced medical bay as well as a 45‑person detention facility.
ASELSAN and HAVELSAN Stamp on Electronics and Weapon Systems
The technological backbone of the project is built by Turkey’s leading defence firms. Staying true to the cooperation model established on the first vessel, all weapon systems, electronic subsystems, and communication networks will be integrated with cutting‑edge components developed by ASELSAN and HAVELSAN.
DESAN plans to complete this second high‑indigenisation‑content platform within 24 months. Delivery to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency is scheduled by the end of 2027.
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Source: C4Defence
