STM officially unveiled its Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) design for amphibious operations during the LIMA2025 defence exhibition being held in Malaysia.

MRSS, as the first force projection platform design of STM, made its official debut in LIMA2025 defence exhibition as an offer to the Royal Malaysian Navy. The ship is designed to carry helicopters and armoured vehicles, and if needed, provide shore bombardment with its 76/62 mm naval gun.

The ship can carry 14 main battle tanks and nine amphibious armoured vehicles in its 800 square meter lower hangar. The vehicles can be transported by two landing craft.

Other vehicles include two helicopters up to 15-ton class and two RHIB boats of 10 m class in the upper hangar. The hangars can also house containers for logistics support and humanitarian aid missions.

STM’s MRSS design -while being built primarily for amphibious operations- can perform offshore patrol, logistics support, and command missions with its flexible design.

The ship has a displacement of 9700 tonnes and a length of 153 m. The large volume and fuel-efficient propulsion system allows for a range of 8000 NM and endurance of 30 days.

MRSS is an emerging type of large-tonnage warships that can be described as designs combining the capabilities of LPDs and smaller surface combatants. Dutch Damen and the U.K. Steller Systems have also presented their own MRSS designs, which feature VLS-launched air defence missiles and USV, UUV and UAVs.

Capabilities

Main Operational Areas

•              Amphibious Operations

•              Logistics Support to Naval Squadron at Sea

•              Naval Presence and Patrol

•              Vehicle and Equipment Transport

•              Command and Control

Secondary Operational Areas

•              Evacuation Operations

•              Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)

•              Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW)

•              Medical Facilities

•              Helicopter Facilities

•              Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations

Main Dimensions

•              Length Overall: 153 m

•              Breadth: 24 m

•              Displacement: 9700 tons

•              Endurance: 30 days

•              Maximum Speed: 18+ knots

•              Range: 8000+ NM at 14 knots

Carrying Capacity

•              Crew: 150 personnel + 500 troops

•              2 x Landing Craft Utility (LCU)

•              800 m2 Tank Deck (14 x Main Battle Tanks, 9 x Assault Amphibious Vehicles)

•              2 x 15 tons Helicopters for Platforms and Hangar

•              2 x 10-m RHIBs with A-Type Davits

•              Fuel: 630 tons

•              Freshwater: 215 tons

Weapon Systems

•              1 x 76 mm Main Gun

•              4 x 12.7 mm Remote Controlled Stabilized Weapon System

•              2 x Chaff/IR Decoy Launchers

Author: Kaan Azman

Editor: Özgür Ekşi