Defence minister: LCS missile compensation claim expected to take time

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 — Recovering funds linked to the procurement of missiles for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) will not be resolved immediately and will take time, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.

He said the delay is due to a lack of cooperation from the Norwegian government in resolving the issue.

He said that although requests for Norway’s assistance had been made at various levels, including by the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim), Foreign Minister (Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan) and himself, Norway had refused to intervene.

“We do not see this matter being resolved quickly… even though Norway is the cause of the problem by refusing to grant the export licence.

“It (Norway) has done nothing to help us reach a decision that safeguards our rights and interests,” he said after the launch of the Siber Siaga 2026, held in conjunction with the Cyber Digital Services, Defence & Security Asia (CyberDSA) 2026 exhibition at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) here today.

Mohamed Khaled said the Norwegian government’s lack of intervention has left Malaysia to pursue its claim directly with the company, which he said has given various excuses.

“Recovering our money will not be easy. We expect it to be a lengthy process,” he said, stressing that efforts to complete the LCS weapon systems must continue regardless of the outcome of the claim against the supplier.

He said he would raise the matter with the government to discuss funding for new missiles, with the procurement involving several complex considerations, including the delivery timeframe.

The ministry must also ensure the new missiles can integrate with the LCS’s Combat Management System (CMS), which is nearing completion.

Malaysia reportedly has taken legal action against missile supplier Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace AS to seek compensation after the Norwegian government canceled the export license for Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) intended for the LCS project. — Bernama