Malaysia to Receive Norwegian Anti-Ship, Land-Attack Missiles Next Month

Malaysia is modernising its ageing naval strike capabilities to reinforce deterrence in the South China Sea, according to the defence ministry, with the navy set to begin receiving Norwegian-made anti-ship and land-attack missiles next month, followed by Turkey’s Atmaca anti-ship missile system by 2028.

The new weapons are intended to replace the Exocet MM40 Block 2 missiles that have been in service for nearly three decades.

Malaysia is also evaluating next-generation systems such as the Naval Strike Missile, which offer longer range, improved radar evasion, and better integration with modern sensors.

The upgrades form part of the country’s long-running “15-to-5” naval modernisation programme, aimed at streamlining the fleet into five main ship classes by 2050.