‘Balancing act’: why Malaysia is boosting its missile arsenal amid maritime row

The modernisation push follows repeated Malaysian protests about Chinese coastguard vessels patrolling near offshore oil and gas assets.

Malaysia’s navy is set to receive Norwegian-made anti-ship and land-attack missiles next month, according to the defence ministry, with deliveries of Turkey’s Atmaca anti-ship missile system also expected by 2028.

The ministry described the overhaul as a “phased and prudent approach” in a reply to parliament last week, citing the evaluation of next-generation platforms – such as Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace’s Naval Strike Missile – that promise greater range, radar evasion and better integration with modern sensor networks.

The response came after an opposition lawmaker asked about plans to replace the navy’s Exocet MM40 Block 2 missiles, which have formed the backbone of Malaysia’s maritime strike force for some 29 years.