Article Posted on : - May 10, 2010

The Scorpene attack submarine.

TOULON, FRANCE (BNS): 'KD Tun Razak' – the second of the two Scorpene submarines built by France for the Royal Malaysian Navy – has set sail for home.

The submarine, designed and built by France’s DCNS Group in partnership with Spain's Navanita, left the Toulon port in France on April 30, 2010 and headed for the port of Lumut in Malaysia, DCNS said.

The crossing from Toulon to Lumut is expected to take about two months and will include several ports of call, the company said, adding the vessel will then undergo sea trials in Malaysia.

The Malaysian government had signed a contract with France in 2002 to acquire two Scorpene submarines along with associated equipment and training.

The Malaysian Navy had received its first Scorpene submarine – ‘KD Tunku Abdul Rahman’ – on September 3, 2009.

Scorpene is a diesel-electric attack submarine designed for anti-submarine and anti-surface ship warfare missions. It is equipped with anti-ship and anti-submarine torpedoes, and anti-surface missiles. The submarine features several advanced technologies, including in hydrodynamics, acoustic discretion and automation.

With a water displacement of 1,550 tonnes for a length of 67.5 metres, each Scorpene requires a crew of 31 and offers an endurance of 45 days.