The Auditor-General's Report 2/2026 said the first littoral combat ship could be handed over unarmed when completed in December this year, and that it may only be fully operational in December 2035.

KUALA LUMPUR: Defence minister Khaled Nordin has rubbished the auditor-general's projection that the first littoral combat ship (LCS 1) may only commence operations in December 2035.

Khaled said this timeframe in the Auditor-General's Report 2/2026 released on Monday was based on the missile contract with Norwegian defence firm Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, which was unilaterally scrapped by Norway.

The firm had been given time extensions due to "certain reasons" as components of the missiles required approval by Washington, while the Covid-19 pandemic had also affected the timeframe, he said.