Turkiye has been selected as the preferred supplier of a replacement missile for the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN) littoral combat ship (LCS) project, after Norway failed to issue an export licence for the naval strike missile (NSM) despite Malaysia having paid for the procurement.

Defence Minister Khaled Nordin said the government had evaluated proposals from several countries, including Turkiye, France, and Italy, based on price, delivery timelines, and upfront costs.

With the Norwegian deal stalled, Malaysia is preparing to pursue legal action through arbitration while seeking an alternative supplier to ensure the country's defence needs are met.

Khaled said the government had reached a deadlock in initial negotiations with Norway and was now moving to the next stage of dispute resolution, which involves establishing a committee between the two parties.