Malaysia’s navy faces rough waters in South China Sea without Norway’s missiles

AdvertisementMalaysiaThis Week in AsiaPoliticsMalaysia’s navy faces rough waters in South China Sea without Norway’s missiles

While Malaysia considers alternatives from ‘three to four countries’, analysts say an advanced missile system is crucial for its navy

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Iman Muttaqin YusofPublished: 5:48pm, 28 May 2026Oslo’s ban on a missile system for Malaysian warships may lead to further bottlenecks in the country’s crucial naval modernisation project due to a scramble for a replacement and hamper its capability to counter vessels encroaching on its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, according to analysts.

The Malaysian navy has spent more than a decade waiting for its new littoral combat ships (LCS), a flagship upgrade meant to enhance its presence in the contested waters.

A dispute over naval strike missiles built by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace arose after Oslo revoked a licence for their export to Malaysia, which said it had already paid about 95 per cent of a €126 million (US$146.4 million) contract for the system.Advertisement

Malaysia is now weighing replacement offers from several countries, with Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin saying on Sunday that the government’s priority was to find a system that would not force costly redesigns of ships already under construction.

“So far, there are three to four countries that have submitted offers,” Khaled told state news agency Bernama during a visit to Turkey, where he said meetings were held between Malaysian officials and several parties to look for a suitable replacement.

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“We are holding meetings, especially with the navy, to provide solutions, and the navy will certainly conduct evaluations of these four offers before they are brought to the government,” he said.

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