KOTA TINGGI: The Royal Malaysian Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS1) must be completed regardless of whether the government sets up a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to investigate delays in the project, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.
He said the shipbuilder must ensure there are no further delays, while the Defence Ministry continues efforts to equip the vessel with the necessary weapon systems.
Khaled said the ministry was now negotiating with several shortlisted countries to find a supplier of surface-to-surface missiles for LCS1, as an alternative to Norway's Naval Strike Missile (NSM).
He said the effort is aimed at ensuring the ship could be fully equipped with weapon systems without taking too long.
